D’backs Avoid Arbitration, Agree to One-Year Deals With Kennedy, 3 Others

The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration today by signing four players to one-year deals including staff ace, Ian Kennedy. According to a tweet from CBSSports.com’s Jon Heyman, Kennedy will be paid $4.265 million this season for the D’backs.

Sept. 18, 2012; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Ian Kennedy (31) looks on during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

Kennedy was among three pitchers inked today. Relievers Brad Ziegler and Tony Sipp also signed on the dotted line as did third baseman Chris Johnson.

Kennedy is coming off a season that fell below his expectations. He finished with a 15-12 record and an ERA of 4.02. The 28-year-old right-hander has 36 wins in the last two seasons, tops in the National League during that span.

August 16, 2012; St. Louis, MO. USA; Arizona Diamondbacks relief pitcher Brad Ziegler (29) throws during the seventh inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Diamondbacks won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Ziegler was a critical piece of the D’backs bullpen last season. The 33-year-old reliever had a career year last season, making 77 appearances, netting a career high six wins, pitching in a career high 68.2 innings and posting a staff best ERA of 2.49 . According to a tweet by Fox Sports Arizona’s Jack Magruder, Ziegler will be paid $3.15 million this season, a hefty raise from the $1.795 million he made last season.

Sipp pitched for the Cleveland Indians last season and was acquired by Arizona on Dec. 10th in the Trevor Bauer deal. He pitched in 63 games with the tribe posting a 1-2 record with a 4.42 ERA and one save. According to NBCSports.com, the 29-year-old left-hander will be making $1.275 million in the desert this season.

Johnson hit .281 with 15 home runs and 76 RBI’s in 136 games split between Houston and Arizona. The third baseman will be in a dogfight for playing time with Eric Chavez and Willie Bloomquist. Terms of Johnson’s deal were not disclosed.