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After agreeing to terms with pitchers Jeff Niemann and David Price and infielder Sean Rodriquez earlier this off-season, the Rays have now come to terms with three position players headed towards arbitration. Outfielder Sam Fuld signed for $750,000. Infielder Ryan Roberts got $2.95MM and Matt Joyce received $2.45M as first reported by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Fuld missed much of the 2012 season following a wrist injury, getting just 107 plate appearances for the season. In 2011, he hit 240/.313/.360 while flashing an excellent glove in part-time outfield work, earning him a bench spot with the cost-conscious Rays in the near future. This was his first arbitration-eligible season.
Roberts came to the Rays via trade after being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks last July. Roberts struggled at the plate last year, hitting .235/.296/.360 but he is a strong defender at second and third and the Rays have always valued those skills highly. This was his second arbitration eligible season.
Matt Joyce got the biggest raise of the group as a first-time arbitration-eligible player, earning more than five times his 2012 league minimum salary. After hitting .241/.341/.429 in 2012 the outfielder is still a bargain at $2.45M.
The Rays have now settled with all of their arbitration eligible players.
