The Yankees will go to an arbitration hearing with right-hander Dellin Betances, general manager Brian Cashman tells MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (Twitter link). Betances filed for a $5MM salary in arbitration, while the Yankees countered at $3MM, so there’s a sizable gap between the two sides. In addition to the immediate $2MM that’s at stake, a $5MM salary in 2017 would give Betances a considerably larger platform for future salaries in the arbitration process. Betances is one of 23 unresolved arbitration cases left in baseball — all of which can be monitored using MLBTR’s 2017 Arbitration Tracker.
A bit more from the American League East…
- Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins spoke to reporters, including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link), following his team’s re-signing of Jose Bautista to a one-year, $18.5MM deal (with a 2018 mutual option and a 2019 vesting option). Atkins acknowledged that the Jays have “clear” needs in the bullpen and at backup catcher. That suggests that the Jays won’t simply stick with in-house options at either position, and the Toronto GM noted that both the trade market and free-agent market are under current consideration to fill those needs. A number of backup catching options have come off the board recently, though names like Kurt Suzuki, Hank Conger, Brayan Pena and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are all still out there.
- Red Sox skipper John Farrell met with the Boston media today and addressed a number of roster issues, including the team’s outlook at third base and in the rotation (Twitter links via Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal). Per Farrell, there’s still a “note of competition” at the hot corner between Pablo Sandoval, Brock Holt and Rule 5 pick Josh Rutledge. Sandoval’s contract, presumably, makes him the favorite, but I’d wager that he’ll be on a short leash and will have to show semblance of rebound potential in Spring Training and/or early in the year. Also, it sounds as if only Chris Sale, David Price an Rick Porcello are assured rotation spots, as Farrell said the final two spots will be a competition between Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez.
- MacPherson’s colleague, Tim Britton, adds that Farrell also discussed the Red Sox’ catching situation (all Twitter links). Farrell said that as it stands, Sandy Leon is heading to camp as the No. 1 catcher, but Blake Swihart will be able to challenge him for that role. Britton notes that Farrell didn’t mention Christian Vazquez. However, Vazquez is out of minor league options, and the team isn’t sure how Swihart’s ankle will be able to hold up for regular work behind the dish, so Britton’s interpretation of the situation is that Leon and Vazquez will open the year as Boston’s catching tandem.
- Looking at the bigger picture for the Red Sox, the team has yet to sit down with star outfielder Mookie Betts about an extension, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. The 24-year-old said there haven’t been talks, and hinted that he’s not particularly interested in pursuing a long-term arrangement. Betts said that his preference is to focus on his play while going “one year at a time” for his salaries. Meanwhile, shortstop Xander Bogaerts largely demurred when asked whether he had engaged in any long-term contract talks.
I think Betances deserves $5 mil but I got a feeling the arbitrator will only give him $3 million because of his low Saves total. As sad as it sounds , I am pretty certain Saves are a key factor for relievers when it comes to arbitration. I forgot where I read it (perhaps River Ave)
Doesn’t he either have to get the 2 million or 5 million. There’s no middle ground when it goes to the arbitrator I don’t think.
Correct – player and team both file, and the ruling is one or the other.
Yes, the arbiter hears arguments from both sides and chooses between the team’s offer and the player’s offer. There is no negotiating on any other number.
But there is a mistake in the article that says the Yankees’s offer was $2MM — it was $3MM — So Betances will receive EITHER $3MM OR $5MM
On another note, it kind of sucks for the player to hear arguments from his own team on why he’s worth less right now… arbitration hearings aren’t fun.
I used to think that too. They are more like this: Instead of a team saying they aren’t worth this because they only did that, they look up similar players based off numbers and see what they earned. For example, if John Doe had a similar comp to DB, they’d argue that their offer reflects a precedent. I’m sure there is some of the “He only deserves X because his numbers don’t reflect it here and there, but I think it’s more of a systematic thing of establishing precedents and to keep the cost down in future arb years.
And that’s why they come to a middle ground at the last minute BEFORE the hearing. Both sides feel they win when a compromise is made.
You are correct. Unfortunately, however, my clumsy fingers failed to successfully navigate the millimeters between the “2” and “3” keys on the board. MB is right — it’s $5MM or $3MM… the dopey author just made a haphazard typo that has led to a great deal of confusion.
Betances filed at 5… Yankees countered at 3. Apologies.
Yes. I said $3 mil or $5 mil because those were the actual offers. Steve put $2 mil by mistake.
Has a 3.08ERA pitcher ever gotten 5M first time through arbitration before?
I’m sure some starting pitcher has done it before. idk about relief pitchers though.
Yankees should have dumped him at the deadline last year. His value was high then now he is declining he is not worth 5 mill on a team with no starting pitching.
I’m thinking with what Cecil got in free agency, that should help from a non-saves standpoint.
The Yankees countered at $3MM NOT $2MM.
That’s correct.
Pretty sure the arbitrator picks one or the other, not settles an amount between them.
I’m sorry, why are you here exactly?
Steve made a typo, the Yankees offered $3 million. Makes more sense of his follow comment, “In addition to the immediate $2 million at stake…”.
I don’t think he was being an ass. The guys handle is whyamihere
It’s $3 mil or $5 mil. Not $2 mil.
Please god, keep any of these bozos throwing around “snowflake”, or “safe place”, or “trumptard” out of this baseball website
Yanks win this one but it might cause some bad blood down the road. I see Betances moved at the deadline if the Yanks are out of contention and Holder and Heller progress.
I don’t think Holder or Heller will push Betances out of the setup role or off the team, more likely it would be Severino in a year or two if he doesn’t crack the starting rotation and they decide to give up on him as a starter. barring injuries, whomever doesn’t crack the rotation out of Green, Cessa. Mitchell and Warren will be in the bullpen ahead of Heller and Holder as well as along with Clippard, Layne, Chapman and probably Bleier and Shreve as well . it’s possible they trade him, but with 4 years of team control there is no reason to rush to move him or give him away and they’ll probably be looking to get as much if not more than what they got for Andrew Miller last season, which will probably be too steep a price for most teams. If they are OUT of contention, I see them more likely to trade Tyler Clippard who is a free agent at the end of the year instead and they’ll also be very busy looking to possibly trade other impeding free agents CC, Pineda and Tanaka . The only way I see them trading Betances this year is if they are IN contention and he is the piece or part of the package they need to move to get an ace starting pitcher for the playoff run – unless someone sweeps them off their feet with a deal too good to pass up.
Rutledge was a rule V pick; doesn’t that make him more than a non-roster invite since he needs to be rostered all season?
Yes
Actually as a Rule 5 pick up Rutledge has to be put on the Sox roster immediately. He is on the teams roster and as such will be at ST as a roster player, I believe.
The Red Sox can simply return Rutledge if they don’t want to keep him on the roster. Or they can work out a trade for him too. If they wish to keep him, he must remain on the ML roster all season.
That could be a very important arbitration case. I’d imagine Betances reps will argue that past comps aren’t suited due to the skyrocketed value of relievers as seen for Chapman, Melancon, and Jansen. They could also use andrew miller as an example as to how saves are no longer a very good measure of talent/value for relievers.
You do realize all of the players you mentioned made their money as FA’s not as 1st year arbitration players. FA’s salaries/compensation are notoriously not an apples to apples comparison to players filing 1st year arbitration cases.
Is point is that relievers didn’t make close to this kind of money a couple years ago, and thus should be worth more money in arbitration.
I wasn’t pointing to those guys as comps for his first year arbitration salary, but as examples of a shifting market for relievers that would lead to them getting paid more (starting with Betances) though arbitration, especially for elite, non-closer relievers.
I would be very surprised if this goes to arbitration and Betances wins. Bad advice from his agent unless they settle. And if I were the Yankees it would not be a midpoint settlement. I like Betances but that’s a big ask for where he is in his career and considering his past performamce.
I should point out I am referring to his most recent run at the closers role when I cite his performance. He is a great talent, but have to admit he ended poorly as closer.
I think it’s a coincidence that it happened as a closer. He’s know to go through stretches during the year were his command is terrible, he throws too many pitches or falls in love with 1 pitch, walks to many guys, and is forced to throw a fastball down the middle. I think it just happened when he was trying to prove he could do the job.
Dellin isnt going to win this one. If he hadnt had a setback year (for him) hed have got that and possibly a little more. Tyler Thornburg, not quite Dellins equal but not worlds away, got 2.05m in his first trip through, so 3m really isnt that far off imo. He should have shot for 3.75-4m honestly.
What happened to Navarro?
The Yankees are really pushing Betances out the door… Last offseason they offered him only a $540,000 contract which he refused and they re-upped him at the league minimum instead at $507,500. They still have 4 more years of team control until he hits free agency at age 32 so a long term extension is probably not going to happen either, especially since his strikeout to walk rate dropped from 7.8 to 2.6 in the second half of last year as he proved he can not handle the 9th inning duties as well as he could the 7th and 8th innings.
Sox need to free-up Holt to play his utility role – best for the player and team. Here’s hoping Pablo is back in form.