Rockies avoid arbitration with Jhoulys Chacin

The Rockies have avoided arbitration once again, settling on a one-year, $5.5 million contract with starting pitcher Jhoulys Chacin, per CBS Sports' Jon Heyman. The team reached agreements with Drew Stubbs, Jordan Lyles, and Tyler Chatwood earlier in the week.

Chacin struggled to stay healthy last season, making only 11 starts and posting a career worst 5.40 ERA. However, he is only one year removed from logging nearly 200 innings and posting a 3.47 ERA  and 4.4 fWAR in 2013. During that 2013 season, Chacin went 14-10, holding opponents to a .250 batting average and striking out a team-high 126 batters.

The 27-year-old has posted a 3.78 ERA/ 85 ERA- in six seasons with the Rockies, including a 48.2 percent ground ball percentage and a K/BB ratio of 1.84. While his $5.5 million deal is certainly a step up from his two year, $6.5 million deal that expired after last season, Chacin will need to turn in a season similar to his 2013 campaign to truly benefit the Rockies this season.