The Padres have agreed to a one-year, $2.675MM deal with Will Venable, avoiding arbitration with the outfielder, reports Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune. This was Venable's second year of arb-eligibility, and he was projected to earn $2.5MM by MLBTR's Matt Swartz. Venable is represented by Turner Gary Sports.
The left-handed hitting Venable hit .270/.339/.440 against right-handers last season and hit very well (an .875 OPS) overall away from Petco Park. He also stole 24 bases in 30 attempts. Venable, 30, will get the lion's share of at-bats as San Diego's right fielder next season with Chris Denorfia getting some playing time against left-handed pitching.
With Venable and Kyle Blanks signed to 2013 contracts, MLBTR's Arbtracker tells us that the Padres now have seven remaining arbitration-eligible players: John Baker, Everth Cabrera, Luke Gregerson, Chase Headley, Clayton Richard, Joe Thatcher and Edinson Volquez.
