Baseball-Major League Baseball roundup

Feb 10 (The Sports Xchange) - The Detroit Tigers and outfielder J.D. Martinez have finalized their two-year, $18.5 million contract that avoided salary arbitration. The agreement, initially reported on Monday and was pending a physical, was officially announced on Wednesday. Martinez, 28, will earn $6.75 million this year and $11.75 million in 2017. He can become a free agent after the 2017 World Series. In 2015, Martinez hit .282 with 38 home runs and 102 RBIs. He was an All-Star for the first time last season and won the American League Silver Slugger Award in right field. He was also a finalist for a Gold Glove Award. - - - The San Francisco Giants and first baseman Brandon Belt agreed to a one-year, $6.2 million contract just before an arbitration hearing. Belt had asked for $7.5 million and the Giants offered $5.3 million when figures were exchanged last month. The agreement was $200,000 below the midpoint. The 27-year-old Belt, who made $3.6 million last year, batted .280 with 18 home runs and 68 RBIs in 2015 as the Giants missed the playoffs. In 2014, Belt returned from concussions to help lead the Giants to their third World Series in five years. - - - The Texas Rangers and first baseman Mitch Moreland agreed to a one-year, $5.7 million contract, avoiding a salary arbitration hearing. Moreland, who made $2.975 million last season, will be eligible for free agency after this year's World Series. The Rangers had proposed a salary of $4.675 million while Moreland, 30, countered at $6 million for Wednesday's arbitration hearing now canceled. Moreland hit .278 with 23 home runs and 85 RBIs in 132 games last season, starting 110 at first base, in his best major league season. - - - The Baltimore Orioles signed right-handed relief pitcher Dale Thayer to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. Thayer, 35, will be trying to rebound from a 2015 season when he posted a 4.06 ERA in 38 games for the San Diego Padres. He went 9-12 with a 3.02 ERA in 203 games for San Diego from 2012-14 before struggling last season. Thayer has an 11-17 record and a 3.47 ERA in 264 big-league appearances over parts of seven seasons. - - - Houston designated hitter Evan Gattis is expected to be sidelined for four to six weeks after having surgery on Tuesday to repair a sports hernia. Gattis will join the team in Florida for rehabilitation but will miss most of spring training and possibly the first few weeks of the regular season. The Astros' first full-squad workout is scheduled for Feb. 23. In Gattis' first year with the Astros in 2015, he led the team in home runs with 27 and in RBIs with 88 while batting .247. Both were career highs. The Astros reached the playoffs for the first time since 2005. - - - (Editing by Mark Lamport-Stokes)