CINCINNATI (AP) Trevor Bauer agreed to a $17.5 million, one-year deal with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday, bypassing salary arbitration after the All-Star pitcher had a contentious hearing with Cleveland last offseason.

Bauer, acquired from the Indians in July, relished beating Cleveland in arbitration the past two offseasons but complained after last winter's hearing that Major League Baseball labor relations staff attempted "character assassination" against him.

The right-hander was awarded $13 million over the Indians' $11 million offer in 2019, a year after winning a raise to $6,525,000 against Cleveland's $5.3 million offer. Bauer donated his extra winnings in 2018 to charity in what he called "69 days of giving" - an online campaign that leaned on sexual innuendo and a reference to marijuana to raise awareness.