Dodgers avoid arbitration with Yasmani Grandal, agreeing to reported $7.9 million deal

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers on Thursday agreed to terms with catcher Yasmani Grandal on a reported one-year, $7.9 million contract, avoiding salary arbitration, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

The agreement comes before Friday’s 10 a.m. PT deadline for teams and players to exchange salary figures. There are five other Dodgers eligible for salary arbitration this offseason — Alex Wood, Joc Pederson, Kiké Hernandez, Tony Cingrani and Josh Fields.

Pedro Baez also agreed to terms with the Dodgers on Thursday on a $1.5 million contract for 2018. Fellow relief pitcher Yimi Garcia agreed to terms on a one-year deal back on Dec. 1.

Grandal hit .247/.308/.459 with 22 home runs and 27 doubles in 129 games in 2017. His 65 home runs as a catcher in his three seasons as a Dodger are second-most in baseball, one behind Salvador Perez of the Royals.

Grandal made $5.5 million last year.

With five years, 115 days of major league service time, Grandal will be eligible for free agency after the 2018 season.

At $7.9 million Grandal in 2018 will have the second-highest salary for a Dodgers catcher, trailing only Mike Piazza’s $8 million in 1998. Piazza was traded in May of that season.

MLB Trade Rumors projected a 2018 salary of $7.7 million for Grandal, while I guessed $7.4 million.