Outfielder Alex Rios avoided salary arbitration by agreeing Tuesday to a $4,835,000, one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays. Rios has career highs with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs last season while batting .297. He gets a $3.5 million signing bonus and a salary of $1,335,000. He would make an additional $15,000 if he is selected for the All-Star game. Rios had asked for $5.65 million and the Blue Jays countered at $4,535,000 when the sides exchanged arbitration figures last month. Rios earned $2,535,000 last year.
While the 26-year-old Rios is not eligible for free agency for another three years, Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi has expressed interest in signing him to a multiyear extension. On Jan. 25, Ricciardi said he had held “productive” talks with Rios’ agent about a long-term deal.
A two-time All-Star, Rios was Toronto’s first-round pick in the 1999 amateur draft. He broke into the majors in 2004.
The Blue Jays have not gone to arbitration with any player since Ricciardi became general manager before the 2002 season. The last Blue Jays player to go to arbitration was right-hander Bill Risley in 1997.
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