BRADENTON, Fla. -- The Pirates avoided arbitration with shortstop Jordy Mercer before Friday's 1 p.m. ET deadline to exchange figures, a source confirmed to MLB.com, as both sides agreed to a one-year contract worth $4.325 million. The Bucs have not confirmed.
Mercer, 30, will return this year as Pittsburgh's everyday shortstop. He hit .256/.328/.374 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs in 149 games last season. Mercer's salary climbed significantly in his second year of arbitration eligibility, jumping from $2.075 million in 2016.
After earning $2.