Twins avoid arbitration, strike deals with Royce Lewis, other key players

The Twins had until noon Thursday to agree to terms or head to arbitration.

Sep 1, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins third baseman Royce Lewis (23) advances to third base on a throwing error by Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Luis De Los Santos (not pictured) in the seventh inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Major League Baseball's deadline to agree to terms with players eligible for arbitration was 12 p.m. CT Thursday, and the Minnesota Twins avoided going to an arbiter with a number of key players.

According to reports, the Twins agreed to one-year deals with the following players:

• Infielder Royce Lewis for $1.625 million

• Starting pitcher Bailey Ober for $3.55 million

• Utility player Willi Castro for $6.4 million

• Relief pitcher Griffin Jax for $2.36 million

• Closer Jhoan Duran for $4.12 million

• Outfielder Trevor Larnach for $2.1 million

• Catcher Ryan Jeffers for $4.55 million

• Starting pitcher Joe Ryan at $3 million

• Relief pitcher Justin Topa for $1.2 million

• Relief pitcher Michael Tonkin for $1 million

• Relief pitcher Brock Stewart for $900,000

That means that all 11 arbitration-eligible players on the roster have agreed to terms ahead of the deadline, and there will be no need for a third party to settle things. Topa, Tonkin and Stewart all agreed to terms earlier in the offseason, while the other eight deals were confirmed Thursday.