The Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday afternoon signed outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. to a two-year contract, avoiding salary arbitration. Gwynn will be paid $850,000 in 2012 and $1.15 million in 2013, per Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times. He made $675,000 in 2011 after getting non-tendered at this time last year by the San Diego Padres.
The 29-year old outfielder hit .256/.308/.353 with 22 stolen bases in 136 games for the Dodgers in 2011. He played mostly left field, making 60 of his 63 starts there, but was also used often as a late-inning defensive replacement and as a pinch hitter or pinch runner.
The Dodgers have four more players eligible for arbitration: outfielder Andre Ethier, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw, first baseman James Loney, and relief pitcher Hong-Chih Kuo. Of those four, all but Kuo are expected to be tendered a contract. The deadline to tender contracts for all unsigned players on the 40-man roster is 9 p.m. Monday night.
For more on the Gwynn signing with the Dodgers, be sure to read True Blue LA.