The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with shortstop Kevin Newman by agreeing to a $1.95 million deal Tuesday with the Gold Glove finalist but nontendered right-hander Chad Kuhl.
The 29-year-old Kuhl was their Opening Day starter but finished the season in the bullpen. Kuhl made $2.13 million last season, when he went 5-7 with a 4.82 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 80 1/3 innings over 28 games, including 14 starts. He was projected to make $3 million in arbitration but now becomes a free agent.
The Pirates also tendered offers to All-Star center fielder Bryan Reynolds, a finalist for Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards, and right-handed reliever Chris Stratton. Reynolds is projected to make $4.5 million after earning $601,000 last year. Stratton is projected to double his $1.1 million salary.
Newman, 28, batted .226/.265/.309 with 22 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 39 RBIs last season, though he batted .256/.292/.344 over the final 27 games.
A 2013 ninth-round draft pick, Kuhl was 25-30 with a 4.44 ERA in 84 starts in his Pirates career. He made his major league debut in June 2016 and underwent Tommy John surgery two years later. Kuhl returned to pitch in 11 games in 2020, starting nine.
