Red Sox reach Ortiz deal to avoid arbitration Dominican slugger David Ortiz agreed terms with the Boston Red Sox on a one-year Major League Baseball deal worth $14,575 million to avoid arbitration, according to the club's website. The deal to keep "Big Papi" on the American League club for a 10th season was reached only hours before an arbitration hearing was set to begin in Florida. Each side compromised on a figure that was the midpoint between what Ortiz had sought and the team's final offer. The 2012 salary is $2,075 million more than seven-time Major League Baseball All-Star Ortiz made last season, when he batted .309 with 29 home runs and batted in 96 runs. "It was just one of those things that when we all had everyone in the room together it just made sense that we would get to the midpoint and get it done," Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told the Boston Globe. The Red Sox missed last season's playoffs on the final day of the 2011 season after a 7-20 September slump to conclude the campaign.