Ian Kennedy agreed to a one-year, $9.85 million contract with the Padres on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports.

Kennedy agreed to a one-year, $9.85 million contract with the Padres on Friday, avoiding arbitration, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports.

Analysis:

Kennedy shaved nearly 130 points off his ERA from 2013 in his first full season with the Padres, and while he did benefit from the pitcher-friendly dimensions of Petco Park (7.8% HR/FB), his 3.21 FIP was a career best and suggests he pitched even better than the surface numbers would indicate. The right-hander finished fifth in the NL with 207 strikeouts and will be rewarded with a nice raise in his final season before free agency.