MINNEAPOLIS - It took a little overtime, but the Twins avoided arbitration Friday with all four remaining pitchers who were eligible for the process.
Left-handed starter Hector Santiago agreed to an $8 million salary for 2017, while right-hander Kyle Gibson ($2.9 million) also agreed from the projected rotation. A person with direct knowledge confirmed both figures to the Pioneer Press.
In addition, the Twins and veteran reliever Brandon Kintzler avoided arbitration at $2.925 million for his final season before reaching free agency, a second source said. There are no incentive bonuses in Kintzler's deal this time.
Reliever Ryan Pressly failed to reach agreement by Friday's noon Central deadline, but his new agency, the Ballengee Group, and Twins assistant general manager Rob Antony were able to hammer out an agreement at $1.175 million before exchanging figures for a potential arbitration hearing.
Pressly was projected at $1.1 million by MLB Trade Rumors.
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The Twins now have 12 players under contract for a combined $91.05 million. That doesn't include the $4 million they must pay the Los Angeles Angels toward Ricky Nolasco's $12 million obligation this year.
With staff ace Ervin Santana set to make $13.5 million this season and Phil Hughes' three-year extension kicking in at $13.2 million per year, the Twins have 80 percent of their projected rotation under contract at a combined $37.6 million.
Santiago, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels at the Aug. 1 trade deadline, went 13-10 with a 4.70 earned-run average last year. That included a 5.58 ERA in 11 starts with the Twins, although he rallied after a miserable four-start stretch.
Santiago receives a 60 percent raise over the $5 million he earned last season. MLB Trade Rumors had projected him at $8.6 million for 2017.
Gibson was projected at $3.5 million in his first crack at arbitration after going 6-11 with a 5.07 ERA last season. He earned $587,500 in 2016 after a strong 2015 season, in which he worked a career-high 194 innings with a career-best 3.84 ERA.
Kintzler, 32, nailed down 17 of 20 save chances after taking over for Kevin Jepsen in early June. A 7.82 ERA over Kintzler's final 12 outings might have proved costly after he was paid at a base rate of $1.075 million last year, but he still easily outdid his $2.2 million projection.
Kintzler and Santiago can be free agents next winter and were able to compare themselves to all pitchers in their respective roles, not just those with the same amount of service time. The Twins could have controlled Kintzler through 2018 if they had left him in the minors for just four more days last May.
Pressly, a former Rule 5 draft pick who overcame a serious lat injury in 2015, was arbitration eligible for the first time. He finished with a 3.70 ERA in a team-high 72 outings.
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An original seven-man arbitration class was whittled down with the offseason releases of third baseman Trevor Plouffe and left-hander Tommy Milone and the December signing of infielder Eduardo Escobar to a $2.6 million contract.
The Twins haven't gone through with an arbitration case since losing in back-to-back years to right-hander Kyle Lohse (2005-06) and his agent, Scott Boras. The differences in those cases were $250,000 and $550,000, respectively.
While multiple teams have adopted a "file-and-trial" approach this offseason, the Twins have not switched to that philosophy under the new front-office regime.
Park swinging again
South Korean slugger Byung Ho Park, coming off a disappointing debut season in the major leagues, has resumed batting practice in the wake of late August surgery on his right hand.
"He's healthy; he's hitting," Twins manager Paul Molitor said Thursday.
According to the reports prepared for Molitor by Twins head athletic trainer Dave Pruemer, Park has no limitations on the work he's able to do. As they continue to monitor the free-agent market for offensive help, the Twins are hopeful Park will be able to improve after an injury-marred season in which he hit just .191 with 12 home runs before being shipped to Triple-A on July 1.
