Dodgers Offer Arbitration to Gott; A’s Set Moore Free

Just a few hours after Dave Stewart filed for free agency, the Oakland Athletics refused to offer salary arbitration to Mike Moore, allowing him to leave the team as well.

Moore was among 17 players refused arbitration on Thursday. He can now file for free agency.

Gott and Tony Phillips of the Detroit Tigers were the only players offered arbitration among the 33 covered by the repeater-rights restriction at the start of the week.

Kansas City pitcher Dennis Rasmussen, another player in the group, agreed to a one-year contract worth $325,000 with the chance to make $175,000 in performance bonuses.

Among the players declined arbitration were Storm Davis and Craig Lefferts of Baltimore, Frank Tanana and Walt Terrell of Detroit, Scott Fletcher and Jim Gantner of Milwaukee, Mike Pagliarulo of Minnesota, Mel Hall and the suspended Pascual Perez of the New York Yankees, and Jeff Reardon of the Atlanta Braves.

Stewart was among nine players filing for free agency Thursday, raising the total to 82. Another 77 players are eligible to file by the Nov. 8 deadline.

Moore, 33 next month, was 17-12 this season with a 4.12 ERA in 36 starts. Oakland offered him salary arbitration and agreed to a $3.5-million salary after he asked for $3.9 million and the Athletics offered $3.1 million. He had been with the A’s since 1989.

The A’s didn’t say whether they would attempt to sign Moore again at a lower salary.