The Arizona Diamondbacks avoided salary arbitration on Thursday with first baseman Christian Walker by agreeing to a one-year, $10.9 million deal, according to sources. Walker had another strong season for the D-backs while helping them reach the World Series in 2023. The 32-year-old finished the regular season with a .258/.333/.497 slash line with a career-high .830 OPS, 33 home runs, 36 doubles, two triples, a career-high 103 RBI, a career-high 11 stolen bases and 86 runs scored in 157 games played. As long as his plate discipline remains strong, Walker should be able to churn out another strong season in the desert as he approaches free agency next winter.

Outfielder Anthony Santander and the Baltimore Orioles settled at $11.7 million for the 2024 season on Thursday to avoid salary arbitration, according to a source. It's a big raise for Santander, who made $4.3 million last season on his way to slashing .257/.325/.472 with 28 home runs and 95 RBI in 656 plate appearances over 153 games in his seventh year in Baltimore. The switch-hitting 29-year-old Venezuelan did also have a career-high strikeout rate, but it wasn't anything to be overly concerned about moving forward. Santander should remain a reliable contributor across the board for fantasy managers in 2024 in a potent Orioles lineup and he should continue to play nearly everyday because of his above-average glove in the outfield.

Right-hander Dylan Cease and the Chicago White Sox settled at $8 million for the 2024 season to avoid salary arbitration on Thursday, according to sources. Cease finished second in the American League Cy Young voting in 2022 by going 14-8 with a career-best 2.20 ERA (3.10 FIP) and 1.11 WHIP with a league-high 78 walks and career-high 227 strikeouts over 32 starts (career-high 184 innings). He took a big step back in 2023, though, with a 4.58 ERA (3.72 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 79 walks and 214 K's in 33 starts (177 innings). The 28-year-old is widely expected to be traded, at least by this summer's deadline, and he's extremely attractive to other clubs given his nasty stuff and high strikeout rate, not to mention two more years of club control. Cease is an attractive bounce-back candidate in 2024, especially if he's dealt to a contender.

Right-hander Walker Buehler and the Los Angeles Dodgers avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by settling at $8.025 million for the 2024 season, according to a source. Buehler will receive the same salary from 2023 after he missed all of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. The 29-year-old will no longer be eligible for arbitration and will become a free agent following the 2024 campaign. He started a minor-league rehab assignment last September but never pitched in a major-league game. Barring any setbacks this offseason, Buehler should be good to go for Opening Day, although LA could look to limit his innings after not pitching at all last year. Buehler will be a risk/reward fantasy starter that might have to shake off some rust early on.

Left-hander Max Fried and the Atlanta Braves settled at $15 million for the 2024 season to avoid salary arbitration on Thursday, according to a source. This was Fried's final year of arbitration eligibility, and the talented 29-year-old southpaw will become a free agent for the first time in his career after the 2024 season concludes. Injuries were the story of his season in 2023, as he was only able to make 14 starts. However, when he was on the mound for the Braves, he remained a fantasy ace, posting a 2.55 ERA, only 18 walks and 80 strikeouts in 77 2/3 innings pitched. Fried also had a career-best 58 percent ground-ball rate. During a walk year with no restrictions heading into the regular season, fantasy managers should one again be targeting Fried as a fantasy ace.