Astros avoid arbitration with six players before deadline

The Astros avoid arbitration with all six eligible players for the 2022 season.

The Houston Astros avoided arbitration with six players — Ryne Stanek, Rafael Montero, Phil Maton, Josh James, Framber Valdez and Aledmys Diaz — Tuesday, prior to Major League Baseball’s deadline. The Astros will not go to court with any eligible payer this spring

Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle via Twitter reported contract details for Stanek, Maton, James and Diaz on Tuesday. Stanek, in his second year eligible, agreed to a $2.1 million salary for the 2022 season, his second in Houston.

Maton settled a $1.55 salary in his second year being arbitration eligible, entering his first full season in Houston. James settled on an $800,000 salary, while he told Brian McTaggart of MLB.com that he “feels good to be whole again.”

Diaz, in his final year arbitration eligibility, agreed to a $4.45 million deal for 2022, before becoming a free agent next offseason. Valdez settled at $3 million with Houston in his first year of being arbitration eligible, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN reported.

Robert Murray of FanSided reported that the Astros and Montero settled at $2.725 million in his final year of arbitration eligibility. The right-hander arrived to camp Wednesday.

Against the current competitive balance tax of $230 million, the Astros payroll sits at an estimated $174 million to open the 2022 season, according to FanGraphs. Houston has roughly $56 million to spend in trades to not be penalized for exceeding the CBT.

Astros Orbit:

On Tuesday, three more prospects — outfielder Cody Orr, catcher Freddy Guilamo and centerfielder Luis Guerrero — were assigned to the Astros.

Right-handed reliever Ralph Garza was designated for assignment Tuesday, as the Minnesota Twins officially add Carlos Correa to the 40-man roster. Correa will address the media Wednesday, as he wears the No. 4 for the Twins.

“New chapter, new team, new number,” Correa told the media Wednesday.