Reds sign LeCure, Simon, leaving 3 without deals

Published Jan. 17, 2014 8:37 p.m. ET

foxsports

CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Reds agreed to a two-year deal with reliever Sam LeCure and a one-year contract with Alfredo Simon on Friday, leaving them with three players in salary arbitration.

They remain far apart with starter Homer Bailey, who asked for $11.6 million and was offered $8.7 million. Bailey went 11-12 last season with a 3.49 ERA and a club-high 199 strikeouts in 32 starts. He also pitched his second no-hitter in two years. Bailey made $5.35 million last season.

Cincinnati also exchanged figures with starter Mike Leake and closer Aroldis Chapman after they failed to reach deals. Leake is coming off his best season, going 14-7 with a 3.77 ERA in 31 starts. He asked for $6.2 million and the club offered $5,650,000.

Chapman asked for $5.4 million and was offered $4.6 million. The hard-throwing left-hander went 4-5 with 38 saves and a 2.54 ERA in 68 appearances with 112 strikeouts in 63 2-3 innings. First-year manager Bryan Price is considering using him for more than one inning at a time this season.

If they can't reach an agreement, arbitration hearings would be held in February. All of Major League Baseball's arbitration cases were settled without hearings last year.

The Reds settled with their other arbitration-eligible player on Thursday when outfielder Chris Heisey agreed to a $1.76 million, one-year contract.