ARLINGTON -- The Rangers avoided an arbitration hearing with first baseman Mitch Moreland almost at the last hour on Wednesday by agreeing on a contract for 2016. The deal is for $5.7 million, according to a source.
The agreement came after midnight, hours before Moreland was to have his arbitration hearing in Phoenix.
Moreland, who can be a free agent after the season, was asking for $6 million and the club had offered $4.675 million. The midpoint was $5.338 million. The Rangers have now gone 16 straight offseasons without an arbitration hearing. The last one was in 2000 with first baseman Lee Stevens.
Moreland is coming off his best season in the Major Leagues, as he set career highs with a .278 batting average, 27 doubles, 85 RBIs and a .482 slugging percentage. His 23 home runs tied a career best.