Report: Giants, closer Will Smith reach deal to avoid arbitration

The Giants kept an impressive streak alive Friday when they reportedly reached a one-year, $4.225 million contract agreement with closer Will Smith. For the 15th consecutive offseason, the Giants will not take a player into a salary-arbitration hearing.

USA Today reported the agreement and the salary figure.

Smith was the Giants’ only arbitration-eligible player still unsigned ahead of Friday’s deadline for the player and team to submit proposed salaries.

If a case goes to a hearing, a three-person arbitration panel picks one figure or the other. Those hearings can get nasty, as players must sit in a conference room and listen to team officials recite all of his shortfalls in a bid to win the case.