Red Sox Sign Designated Hitter David Ortiz for One Year With No Guarantees

The Boston Red Sox signed designated hitter David Ortiz to a non-guaranteed, one-year contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing scheduled for today.

Financial details weren’t disclosed. Ortiz, 36, can make $14.6 million this season, ESPN reported, citing a person it didn’t identify. Ortiz was seeking $16.5 million after making $12.5 million last season. The Red Sox had offered $12.65 million, ESPN reported.

Last season, Ortiz had a .309 batting average with 29 home runs and 96 runs batted in.

The seven-time All Star owns baseball’s records with 333 homers and 1,094 RBI as a designated hitter.

The Red Sox have no remaining unsigned players eligible for salary arbitration, the team said in a statement announcing Ortiz’s signing.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mike Buteau in Atlanta at mbuteau@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Michael Sillup at msillup@bloomberg.net