Cobb, McGee among eight arbitration-eligible Rays players to come to terms
The Tampa Bay Rays settled contracts for the upcoming season with all eight of their arbitration-eligible players Friday.
Right-hander Alex Cobb will receive $4 million, reliever Jake McGee $3.55 million plus incentives, catcher/designated hitter John Jaso $3.175 million, outfielder Desmond Jennings $3.1 million plus incentives, reliever Kevin Jepsen $3.025 million, catcher Rene Rivera $1.2 million plus incentives, infielder Logan Forsythe $1.1 million plus incentives and left-hander Drew Smyly $2.65 million plus incentives.
Cobb, 27, was 10-9 with a 2.87 ERA in 27 games last season. He's the lone AL pitcher with 10-plus wins, a winning record and a sub-3.00 ERA in each of the past two seasons. He made $516,900 in 2014.
Forsythe, 28, hit .223 and tied career highs with six home runs and 26 RBI in a career-high 110 games last season. He made $509,700 in 2014.
Jaso, 31, hit .264 with nine home runs and 40 RBI in 99 games with the Oakland Athletics last season, including 47 starts at catcher and 32 at designated hitter. He made $2.3 million in 2014.
Jennings, 28, hit .244 with 10 home runs and 36 RBI in 123 games last season. He made $517,000 in 2014.
Jepsen, 30, had a career-best 2.63 ERA with the Los Angeles Angels last year, earning career-highs in appearances (74), innings pitched (65) and strikeouts (75). He made $1.4625 million in 2014.
McGee, 28, was 5-2 with a 1.89 ERA and 19 saves in 73 appearances last season, setting career-highs in saves, ERA, games and innings (71 1/3). He made $1.45 million in 2014.
Rivera, 31, made 85 starts at catcher for the San Diego Padres last season and set career highs in games (103), hits (74), doubles (18), home runs (11), RBI (44), batting average (.252), on-base percentage (.319) and slugging percentage (.432). He made $506,400 in 2014.
Smyly, 25, was acquired in the three-team trade on July 31 that sent left-hander David Price to the Detroit Tigers. In seven starts with the Rays after arriving from the Tigers, Smyly went 3-1 with a 1.70 ERA. He made $520,000 in 2014.
Meanwhile, the Rays also announced the signing of five players to minor-league contracts with major-league spring training invitations: Catcher Mayo Acosta, outfielder Joey Butler, infielder Juan Francisco, right-hander Jhan Marinez and left-hander Everett Teaford.
Rays' pitchers and catchers report to spring training on Feb. 21.
You can follow Andrew Astleford on Twitter @aastleford or email him at aastleford@gmail.com.
