Third baseman Josh Donaldson and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed Friday to a $ 23 million US contract, the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player.
The 32-year-old, a three-time All-Star, topped the $ 21,625,000, one-year deal covering 2018 agreed to last May by outfielder Bryce Harper and the Washington Nationals.
Donaldson, the 2015 AL MVP, got a $ 6 million raise after rebounding from an injury-slowed 2016 to hit .270 last season with 33 homers and 78 RBIs in 113 games. The sure-handed infielder missed time from April 14 through May 25 with a calf injury, which also hampered him during spring training.
Donaldson was coming off a $ 28.65 million, two-year deal. He is eligible for free agency after this season.
Toronto also agreed to one-year deals with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera ($ 1.9 million) and left-hander Aaron Loup ($ 1,812,500).
Carrera earned $ 1,162,500 last season, when the 30-year-old Venezuelan played every outfield spot and batted .282 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in a career-high 131 games for the Blue Jays — 91 of those in left field.
Toronto’s other arbitration eligible players are right-handers Dominic Leone, Roberto Osuna, Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman, outfielder Kevin Pillar and second baseman Devon Travis.
