The Angels on Friday agreed with right fielder Kole Calhoun on a one-year, $6.35 million deal, thus avoiding arbitration, according to MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman. The club has not confirmed the report.
Calhoun, 29, finished 2016 strong, hitting .296 with five homers and 16 RBIs over the final month, which made his near-immediate offseason surgery to repair a core muscle injury all the more surprising. General manager Billy Eppler said the veteran has been cleared for baseball activity as he heads into his sixth season.
• Hot Stove Tracker
Calhoun finished the year with a .271/.348/.438 line with 18 homers and 75 RBIs, and his 91 runs scored ranked second on the team behind only American League MVP Award winner Michael Trout.
In addition to his offensive production, Calhoun has been a defensive stalwart. With speedsters Trout in center, Cameron Maybin in left and Ben Revere slated as the fourth option, Calhoun is the only former Gold Glove Award winner among the Angels' outfield.
This is Calhoun's first year of arbitration eligibility, and his 2017 salary will be nearly double the $3.4 million he earned in '16. The Angels also avoided arbitration with newly-acquired second baseman Danny Espinosa on a $5.425 million deal on Thursday.