The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Dustin May have avoided arbitration by way of a one-year, $2.135 million deal. The right-hander has been devastated by arm injuries in his young big-league career as he has undergone Tommy John surgery and will be out until at least the 2024 All-Star break after undergoing UCL revision surgery in July, a procedure that carries a similar timetable as Tommy John surgery. The 26-year-old has been fantastic when healthy, however, as he sports a career 3.10 ERA across 46 appearances (34 starts), including a dominant 2.63 ERA in nine starts last season before once again undergoing the knife. Despite making just 20 starts over the last three seasons, May is a solid late-round injury stash with the hope he can make a healthy return to the rotation mid-summer.

Detroit Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal has avoided arbitration by way of a one-year, $2.65 million contract. Flexor tendon surgery pushed Skubal's 2023 season debut back to July 4 but he was arguably the best pitcher in baseball from there on out. The 27-year-old worked to a 2.80 ERA across 15 starts and 80 1/3 innings, the sixth-best ERA mark among qualified pitchers in that time. However, Skubal's 2.00 FIP and 3.3 fWAR from July 4 on were both easily the best figures in all of baseball. Tyler Glasnow finished second in both areas with a 2.60 FIP and 2.6 fWAR. Finally, his 28.4% K-BB% was the third-best mark in baseball after his return. As a result, his fantasy stock has risen meteorically and he should be a top draft target this spring.

The Seattle Mariners and right-hander Logan Gilbert have settled on a one-year, $4.05 million contract, avoiding arbitration in the process. Thursday marks the deadline for clubs to either settle with their arbitration-eligible players or for the two sides to enter dollar figures before going to arbitration. Gilbert is coming off another solid season for the Mariners, working to a 3.73 ERA across 32 starts and a career-high 190 2/3 innings of work. The 26-year-old thrives with his control as his 4.7% BB% was the fifth-best mark in baseball among 44 qualified pitchers. As a result, he posted a hearty 19.9% K-BB% despite a solid, yet unspectacular 24.6% K%. He remains a rock-solid fantasy asset ahead of the 2024 season.

Outfielder Randy Arozarena and the Tampa Bay Rays avoided salary arbitration on Thursday by settling at $8.1 million for the 2024 season, according to a source. Arozarena put up his third straight 20-20 season in 2023, but it also came with a career-low .25 batting average. The 28-year-old also displayed better plate discipline, though, and it led to a career-high in runs scored with 95 to go along with 23 home runs, 83 RBI and 22 stolen bases in 551 at-bats over 151 games played in his fourth year with the Rays. Perhaps participating in the Home Run Derby during the All-Star break screwed his swing up in the second half, as he was much more productive in the first half of last season. Arozarena will once again be an early round target for his power/speed combination in fantasy drafts this spring.

Along with reliever Yency Almonte, the Los Angeles Dodgers are sending infielder Michael Busch to the Chicago Cubs on Thursday, according to a source. We still don't have the return confirmed on what is going back to the Dodgers, so stay tuned for more details. The 26-year-old former first-rounder was being blocked at the major-league level in Los Angeles, so a move to Chicago should give him more of an opportunity to crack the big-league lineup in 2024 and beyond. The left-handed-hitting Busch made his big-league debut for the Dodgers in 2023 but went just 12-for-72 (.167) with two home runs and seven RBI in 27 games played. He's likely to compete for the third-base job in Chicago in spring training and could become a platoon option for the Cubs at the hot corner against right-handed pitching.