MLB notes: Blue Jays and Josh Donaldson agree to one-year deal worth $23 million

Third baseman Josh Donaldson and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $23-million contract, the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player.

The 32-year-old, a three-time All-Star, topped the $21,625,000, one-year deal covering 2018 agreed to last May by outfielder Bryce Harper and Washington.

Donaldson, the 2015 AL MVP, got a $6 million raise after rebounding from an injury-slowed 2016 to hit .270 last season with 33 homers and 78 RBIs in 113 games. The sure-handed infielder missed time from April 14 through May 25 with a calf injury, which also hampered him during spring training.

Donaldson was coming off a $28.65 million, two-year deal. He is eligible for free agency after this season.

Toronto also agreed Friday to one-year deals with outfielder Ezequiel Carrera ($1.9 million) and left-hander Aaron Loup ($1,812,500).

Carrera earned $1,162,500 last season, when the 30-year-old Venezuelan played every outfield spot and batted .282 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in a career-high 131 games for the Blue Jays — 91 of those in left field.

Here are some other agreements to avoid arbitration:

— Kris Bryant has agreed to a $10.85-million, one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, a record for a player eligible for arbitration for the first time. The previous mark was held by Ryan Howard, who was awarded $10 million by a three-person panel in 2008, his first year of eligibility for arbitration. Bryant hit .295 with 29 home runs and 73 RBIs in 2017.

— NL batting champion Charlie Blackmon and the Colorado Rockies avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $14 million, one-year contract. The 31-year-old centerfielder hit .331 with 37 homers and 104 RBIs last year and made $7.3 million. He can become a free agent after this season.

— Left-hander Patrick Corbin and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $7.5 million, one-year contract. The 28-year-old was 14-13 with a 4.03 ERA last season and made $3.95 million.

— Second baseman Joe Panik has reached agreement on a $3.45-million, one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants. The 2016 Gold Glover earned $600,000 last season when he batted .288 with 10 homers, 28 doubles and 53 RBIs over 138 games.

— Outfielder Aaron Hicks agreed to a $2,825,000, one-year contract with the New York Yankees, who settled with reliever Tommy Kahnle at $1,312,500

— Reliever Zach McAllister and the Cleveland Indians have agreed to a $2.45-million, one-year contract, a raise from the $1,825,000 he earned last season.

— Relievers Jake Diekman and Keone Kela and infielder Jurickson Profar agreed one-year contracts with the Texas Rangers. Diekman gets $2,712,500 under Friday’s agreement, a raise from $2.55 million. Kela’s salary is $1.2 million, up from $543,210, and Profar will make $1.05 million, an increase from $1,005,000.

— Catcher James McCann and the Detroit Tigers have agreed to a $2,375,000, one-year contract. The 27-year-old hit .253 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs last season and made $552,100.

In other news:

— The Chciago White Sox have agreed to a $4.75 million, one-year contract with pitcher Miguel Gonzalez, bringing back the right-hander after trading him late last season. The 33-year-old is 52-54 with a 3.95 ERA with Baltimore (2012-15), Chicago (2016-17) and Texas.