The Orioles have avoided arbitration with two of their biggest stars, third baseman Manny Machado and closer Zach Britton, according to multiple reports Friday.
Baltimore settled with Machado for $11.5 million and with Britton for $11.4 million for 2017. The club has not confirmed the reports.
Machado, only 24, finished in the top five of American League Most Valuable Player Award voting for a second straight year in 2016. He hit .294/.343/.533 with 37 home runs and 96 RBIs, good for a 129 wRC+. Machado racked up 6.5 Wins Above Replacement, per FanGraphs, the seventh-highest WAR in the Major Leagues.