Orioles agree to terms with Villar, Bundy and Givens

None of the Orioles who are eligible for arbitration will be going to a hearing. The deals are done.

The club has reached agreements with infielder Jonathan Villar, starter Dylan Bundy and reliever Mychal Givens on contracts for the 2019 season. An announcement will come later today.

Terms aren't immediately available.

The Orioles acquired Villar, pitcher Luis Ortiz and infielder Jean Carmona from the Brewers on July 31 for second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who was non-tendered and signed a one-year deal with the Twins. Villar batted a combined .260/.325/.384 and slashed .258/.336/.392 with four doubles, eight home runs, a 1.3 WAR and 21 stolen bases in 24 attempts over 54 games with the Orioles.

Villar earned $2.55 million last summer and MLBTradeRumors.com projected that he'd receive a raise to $4.4 million in arbitration. New manager Brandon Hyde must decide later if Villar is the starting second baseman or shortstop this season.

Bundy made the opening day start for the first time in his career and finished 8-16 with 5.45 ERA and 1.410 WHIP in 31 starts. His 41 home runs allowed led the majors and his 16 losses were tied with the White Sox's James Shields.

MLBTradeRumors.com projected that Bundy would make $3 million this season, a bump from the $1.64 million earned in 2018. Bundy finally became arbitration-eligible this winter after being in the last class of players allowed to sign major league contracts directly from the amateur draft. The right-hander made his debut in 2012.

A hearing would have caused the two sides to focus on opposite halves of the season. Bundy registered a 4.35 ERA, 1.306 WHIP and .252 average-against before the break and a 7.11 ERA, 1.566 WHIP and .306 average-against in the second half.

Givens, who could emerge as the closer in 2019, also was eligible for arbitration for the first time in his career. The former shortstop was 0-7 with nine saves, a 3.99 ERA and 1.187 WHIP in 69 appearances.

Givens made $566,500 last season and was projected to earn $2 million this summer.

The Orioles signed all of their arbitration-eligible players last winter without a hearing, with Kevin Gausman agreeing to terms one day before he would have gone before a panel.

The list of eligible players this winter was reduced with the decision to non-tender infielder Tim Beckham and catcher Caleb Joseph and by trading Gausman and Schoop.

The Braves signed Gausman today to a $9.35 million contract.