The Reds and Todd Frazier have avoided going to an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a deal that pays the third baseman $12 million over two seasons. Frazier will be paid $4.5 million this year and $7.5 million next year. The agreement covers the first two of Frazier’s three years of arbitration.
This deal doesn’t have enormous implications. It provides the Reds a little payroll predictability. It guarantees Frazier a pile of money that he likely would have made anyway. It doesn’t resolve whether the Reds will sign an extension with Frazier, although it does tilt the equation a little bit against it. By giving Frazier a guaranteed $12 million, it largely takes away the security incentive players have to sign away a free agency year or two.
The Reds still have to reach agreement with Aroldis Chapman or head to an arbitration hearing.