ST. LOUIS -- The Cardinals settled half of their four arbitration cases on Friday by reaching one-year deals with relievers Trevor Rosenthal and Kevin Siegrist. The organization did not disclose the financial terms of either contract, though MLB Network insider Jon Heyman reported that Rosenthal's contract is worth $6.4 million.
These agreements come one day after Matt Adams agreed to a $2.8 million deal for 2017, thus avoiding an arbitration hearing. This leaves the Cardinals with two arbitration-eligible players unsigned: Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha.
• Hot Stove Tracker
The club exchanged salary figures with Martinez and Wacha on Friday, but it will continue negotiating with both players in an effort to avoid a hearing. According to Heyman, the Cards submitted a $2.775 million salary for Wacha, who filed at $3.2 million. The gap is narrower with Martinez. He filed for $4.25 million, and the Cardinals offered $3.9 million.
Arbitration hearings will begin on Jan. 30 for players who remain unsigned. The Cardinals have not needed an arbitrator to settle a contract case for them since 1999.
Rosenthal, who made $5.6 million last year, entered the offseason without the closer designation for a change. He was replaced as closer midseason and finished 2016 with a 4.46 ERA, 1.91 WHIP and 14 saves in 45 appearances. Rosenthal was sidelined in late July with a rotator cuff injury that then kept him out for nearly two months.
Rosenthal's role on the 2017 roster remains nebulous, though the organization has announced plans to stretch him out with multiple-inning appearances in Spring Training. That will give the Cardinals flexibility in how they utilize him on their pitching staff.
Siegrist, arbitration-eligible for the first time in his career, led all qualifying National League relievers with a 2.77 ERA last season. He appeared in 67 games for the Cardinals and, as a setup man, tallied a team-most 17 holds. The lefty is expected to slot in as a late-inning reliever for the club again this year.