Cincinnati Reds sign Tejay Antone to One Year Contract to Avoid Arbitration

 The Cincinnati Reds avoided arbitration with Tejay Antone by signing him to a one year, $830,000 deal.

Players are arbitration eligible after they've accumulated three years of service time.

Antone, 30, has been limited by arm injuries over the last two years. He underwent the second Tommy John surgery of his career in 2021 which zapped all of 2022 and most of 2023 from him.

He did pitch in five games last season. He allowed just one run on three hits while striking out seven across 5 2/3 innings. His fastball velocity was almost two miles an hour slower than in 2021, though.

That year Antone was good in limited playing time. Before he tore his UCL, Tejay pitched 33 2/3 innings with a 2.14 ERA. He had 42 strikeouts to just 13 walks.

If Antone can be healthy this season, the bullpen will be a force to be reckoned with in Cincinnati.