Gattis gets big raise after career-best season

Houston Astros' Evan Gattis takes batting practice during a spring training baseball workout, Tuesday, March 3, 2015, in Kissimmee, Fla. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Credit: DG

Credit: DG

Houston Astros' Evan Gattis takes batting practice during a spring training baseball workout, Tuesday, March 3, 2015, in Kissimmee, Fla. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Evan Gattis got a huge raise Tuesday, but he still may be a bargain for the Astros.

The former Braves player, who hit a career-high 27 home runs last season, avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $3.4 million, one-year contract with Houston.

The deal calls for a $3.3 million salary this year and includes a $5.2 million club option for 2017 with a $100,000 buyout.

When the sides exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last month, Gattis asked for a raise from $526,500 to $3.85 million and the Astros offered $3 million.

The Braves traded Gattis to the Astros in January of 2015 and received right-handed starters Mike Foltynewicz and Andrew Thurman and third baseman Rio Ruiz.

Gattis hit .246 and led the Astros in homers and RBIs with 88, also a career high.

Gattis had surgery Feb. 10 to repair a sports hernia and the Astros expect him to be sidelined four to six weeks.