Reds news: Amir Garrett, Tyler Mahle, and Jesse Winker receive raises

The trio of Reds will collectively take home $6.85M in 2021.

The Cincinnati Reds have signed nearly every one of their arbitration-eligible players. Earlier today, Noé Ramirez got things rolling, signing a one-year/$1.175M contract. Michael Lorenzen inked a one-year/$4.4M deal as well. The trio of Tyler Mahle, Jesse Winker, and Amir Garrett each agreed a one-year contract, leaving Luis Castillo as the lone arbitration-eligible player who’s yet to sign.

Jesse Winker, according to Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer, will take home $3.15M in 2021. His good friend Amir Garrett received a raise, as he’ll be making $1.5M next season. And No. 3 starter Tyler Mahle will be cashing a check for $2.2M in 2021 according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.

All three players figure to have important roles for the Cincinnati Reds in 2021. Winker led the team in OPS last season, Mahle elevated his game and will enter spring training as a starter, and Garrett could quite possibly be the team’s closer next season.

Collectively, these three players will account for $6.85M of the Cincinnati Reds payroll next season. Add in the $4.4M from Lorenzen’s deal and the $1.175 from the contract Ramirez signed earlier today, and the front office has spent about $12.4M, and they’re not done.

There’s one player who’s eligible for arbitration that has yet to agree to a contract for 2021, and that’s the team’s ace, Luis Castillo. There’s been rumors swirling this offseason about Castillo possibly being traded, so one must wonder if that’s playing a role at all in the negotiations.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Castillo would likely take home between $3M-$5.8M next season. So far, most estimates have seen teams and players agree on the higher side, so I’d expect to see Castillo take home at least $5M in 2021.

Using the same estimates provided by MLB Trade Rumors, it appears that the Reds were able to avoid paying about $12M by non-tendering Curt Casali, Archie Bradley, and Brian Goodwin. Casali has since signed with the San Francisco Giants and Bradley just signed a one-year/$6M contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Of all the players signed by the Reds this afternoon, Jesse Winker is by far the one with the most unsettled situation. While Lorenzen doesn’t quite know whether or not he’ll be a starter or reliever, it’s debatable as to whether or not Winker will be an everyday player.

As it stands right now, the universal DH is not slated to return in 2021 and Cincinnati has an outfield comprised of Nick Castellanos, Nick Senzel, and Shogo Akiyama. With Senzel’s injury history, it’s wise to have an additional outfielder with Winker’s pedigree on the team, but it’ll be interesting to see how David Bell allocates playing time next season.