Pirates avoid arb, agree to '25 contracts with four players (source)
The Pirates agreed to terms on a 2025 contract with four arbitration-eligible players Thursday, per sources.
The list of four players who signed, ordered in terms of MLB service time, are David Bednar for $5.9 million, Joey Bart for $1.75 million, Colin Holderman for $1.5 million and Bailey Falter for $2.222 million.
The team did not come to terms with Dennis Santana and Johan Oviedo, so they¡¯ll exchange arbitration figures with the two right-handed pitchers.
Bednar was the priciest signing, which was expected since it was his second turn through arbitration and he has a pair of All-Star appearances on his resume. He is also coming off of his worst season with the Pirates, finishing with a 3-8 record, a 5.77 ERA and 23 saves in 30 opportunities. The 30-year-old right-hander struggled with injuries for most of the year and was removed from the closer role in late August, though general manager Ben Cherington and manager Derek Shelton have both expressed optimism for a bounce-back campaign from him this season.
Bart was picked up in a trade with the Giants early last season and became one of the Pirates¡¯ most consistent hitters, slashing. 265/.337/.462 with 13 home runs and 45 RBIs across 80 games. While the catcher job is open to competition this spring ¨C with Henry Davis and Endy Rodr¨ªguez also in the mix ¨C he will enter Spring Training with the inside track for the job.
It was Bart¡¯s first turn through arbitration, and he has two additional years of team control through arbitration remaining after 2025. It was also Holderman and Falter¡¯s first chance at arbitration, but as Super Two players, they have three years of potential team control remaining after 2025.
Holderman went 3-6 with a 3.16 ERA over 55 outings last year, excelling for most of the season before hitting a rough patch in late July and early August, where he took a loss for four straight outings from July 31-Aug. 7. He is expected to be a leverage arm in the Pirates¡¯ bullpen again this season.
Falter established himself as a Major League starter last season after coming over from the Phillies at the 2023 Trade Deadline. He went 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA over 142 1/3 innings across 28 starts in his first full season with the Pirates, while setting new career highs in wins, innings and starts.