Ace Sonny Gray, catcher Stephen Vogt reach deals with A's

By AP
Published

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Athletics knew Khris Davis would command a hefty raise after a career year.

He is seeking a $5 million salary for the 2017 season and the A's are offering $4.65 million in numbers exchanged Friday.

Other than the slugger, the rest of the club's arbitration-eligible players reached new deals.

Right-hander Sonny Gray agreed to a $3,575,000, one-year contract to avoid arbitration. Right-hander Liam Hendriks received a $1.1 million contract while Stephen Vogt got a $2,965,000 deal, leaving left fielder Davis as the only one yet to settle as he comes off his best season with hopes of carrying it into 2017.

Davis batted .247 for a second straight year with career highs of 42 home runs and 102 RBIs in his first season with the low-budget, last-place A's. He earned $524,500 in 2016 and will get a substantial bump after his performance highlighted a losing year for last-place Oakland.

Gray entered 2016 with huge expectations as ace of the A's staff, then was scratched from his start opening day with food poisoning. He first spent a stint on the disabled list with a strain in his upper back before missing time down the stretch on the DL again with a strained right forearm.

After getting hurt Aug. 6, the 27-year-old Gray didn't pitch again until one inning of relief Sept. 28 at the Angels - an important step according to the team for him to go into the offseason on a positive note.

Gray, a 2015 All-Star who made $527,500 last year, struggled to a 5-11 record after consecutive 14-win seasons and was limited to 22 starts and 117 innings.

Vogt batted .251 with 14 homers and 56 RBIs while playing in a career-high 137 games - one more than the previous season - in 2016.

He earned $527,500 last year and has been a key influence working with all of the young pitchers moving through the big leagues in recent years because of injuries.

Hendriks, who earned $523,400 in 2016, went 0-4 with a 3.76 ERA in 53 outings for Oakland.

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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.