Pirates avoid arbitration with 4 pitchers but don't reach settlement with Ji-Man Choi

The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with four right-handed pitchers Friday but couldn’t come to a settlement with newly acquired first baseman/designated hitter Ji-Man Choi.

The Pirates agreed to settlements with starters JT Brubaker and Mitch Keller and relievers Robert Stephenson and Duane Underwood Jr., announcing the signing of all four to one-year contracts.

Choi was projected by MLBtraderumors.com to make $4.5 million next season. Choi, 31, batted .233/.341/.388 with 22 doubles, 11 home runs and 52 RBIs last season while earning $3.2 million for the Tampa Bay Rays. Choi was acquired in a trade for minor-league pitcher Jack Hartman in November.

Keller, 26, settled at $2,437,500, slightly above his $2.4 million projection. Keller made $725,000 last season, when he was 5-12 with a 3.91 ERA and 1.40 WHIP and led the team in innings (159) and starts (29).

JT Brubaker, 29, settled at $2.275 million, $275,000 above his projection. Brubaker made $725,000 last season, when he was 3-12 with a 4.69 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 144 innings over 28 starts.

Stephenson, who turns 30 next month, settled for $1.75 million, which was $150,000 below his projection. Stephenson made $1.28 million last season for the Colorado Rockies and Pirates, who claimed him off waivers in late August. Stephenson was 2-2 with a 5.43 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 58 appearances last season, going 0-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 0.83 WHIP in 13 1/3 innings for the Pirates.

Underwood Jr., 28, settled for $1.025 million, just above his $1 million projection. Underwood was 1-6 with a save, 4.40 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 57 1/3 innings last season.

The Pirates previously avoided arbitration with outfielder Miguel Andujar, signing him to a one-year contract worth $1.525 million Nov. 18. Andujar had been projected to make $1.7 million.