ATLANTA -- Negotiations went through the final hour early Friday afternoon, but the Braves and right-handed reliever Arodys Vizcaino avoided going to a salary arbitration hearing when they agreed to a one-year, $897,500 contract.
The agreement was completed less than 10 minutes before Friday's 1 p.m. ET deadline for all Major League clubs to exchange salary figures with any of their unsigned arbitration-eligible players. Had a deal not been reached before this exchange, the Braves were prepared to go to a hearing that would have determined Vizcaino's salary for the upcoming season.
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When the Braves went to an arbitration hearing with Mike Minor last year, it marked the first time they had gone through the process since trying a case against John Rocker in 2001. But over the past few years, the club has adopted a file-and-trial policy, which signals that it will not negotiate a one-year salary figure from the time arbitration figures are exchanged until a hearing is held.
This marked the first year Vizcaino was eligible to go through the arbitration process. The 25-year-old reliever has compiled just 56 innings during an injury-marred big league career that began with the Braves in 2011.
Vizcaino missed the first three months of the 2015 season while serving a performance-enhancing drug suspension. After joining Atlanta's bullpen in early July, the 25-year-old produced a 1.60 ERA and limited opponents to a .219 batting average over 36 appearances. He converted nine of 10 save opportunities while serving as the Braves' closer for the season's final two months.
With his success last year, Vizcaino rekindled the promise that he displayed when he joined Atlanta's bullpen as a 20-year-old reliever in 2011. He underwent Tommy John surgery during the following Spring Training and was dealt to the Cubs before the July 2012 Trade Deadline. Vizcaino battled lingering elbow discomfort and totaled just five appearances (all in September 2014) during the 2013-14 seasons. He was reacquired by the Braves in exchange for Tommy La Stella on Nov. 16, 2014.
If Jason Grilli is not at full strength when he attempts to return from a ruptured left Achilles tendon, there is a chance the Braves will opt to move Vizcaino back into the closer's role this season.
The Braves reached a one-year, $610,000 agreement with their only other arbitration-eligible player -- right-handed reliever Chris Withrow -- on Thursday.