CLEVELAND, Ohio — Left-hander Sam Hentges, who will miss the 2025 season, avoided arbitration Friday by agreeing to a one-year deal with the Guardians wokrth $1,377,500.
The Guardians, as of Thursday, had seven players eligible for arbitration who had to be offered contracts by Friday’s 8 p.m. deadline. If not, they could become free agents.
Hentges, along with Triston McKenzie, have agreed to one-year deals. McKenzie signed for $1.95 million on Thursday.
The 2024 season was a tough one of Hentges. He opened the year on the injured list with a injury to middle finger of his pitching hand. He didn’t rejoin the Guardians’ bullpen until May 6 only to have his season end on July 10 because of pain in his left shoulder.
The 6-6, 245-pound Hentges eventually had surgery to repair damage to the capsurel and labrum of his left shyoulder. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Sept. 18.
The recovery time for Hentges is expected to be 14 to 19 months.
Hentges, 28, was a fourth round pick of Cleveland’s in 2014. His best season came in 2022 when he went 3-2 with a 2.32 ERA in 57 games. He struck out 72 and walked 19 in 62 innings. The opposition hit .186 against him.
In the 2022 postseason Hentges went 1-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three appearances against the Rays and Yankees.
Josh Naylor, Steven Kwan, Lane Thomas, Nick Sandlin and Ben Lively were all eligible for arbitration.