The deadline for players and teams to exchange arbitration figures passed yesterday at 1pm ET, and there has been a landslide of settlements on one-year deals to avoid an arbitration hearing. We’ll track those settlements from the National League in this post. Once all of the day’s settlements have filtered in, I’ll organize them by division to make them a bit easier to parse.
It’s worth mentioning that the vast majority of teams have adopted a “file and trial” approach to arbitration, meaning that once arbitration figures are exchanged with a player, negotiations on a one-year deal will cease. The two parties may still discuss a multi-year deal after that point, but the majority of players who exchange figures with their team today will head to an arbitration hearing.
As always, all salary projections referenced within this post are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, and we’ll also be updating our 2019 Arbitration Tracker throughout the day…
Today’s Updates
- Rounding out contract numbers for the St. Louis Cardinals, Dominic Leone will take home $1.26MM, Chasen Shreve will make $900K, and outfielder Marcell Ozuna will earn $12.25MM in his last season before free agency, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). Ozuna has the most high-impact potential as he looks to rebound from a still-productive season in 2018 that saw his power output hindered at times by a balky shoulder. He still managed 23 home runs and a .280/.325/.433 slash line while playing just about every day outside of a 10-day DL stint late in August.
- The Diamondbacks came to terms with a slew of players, per Feinsand (via Twitter), including Matt Andriese for $920K, Steven Souza Jr. for $4.125MM, shortstop Nick Ahmed for $3.6625MM, and potential closer Archie Bradley for $1.83MM.
- The Rockies and starting pitcher Jon Gray have come to an agreement on a $2.935MM deal, per Feinsand (via Twitter). Gray had an up-and-down 2018 that is generally considered to be more promising than the optics of his 5.12 ERA make it seem.
- The Pirates have come to terms on one-year deals with both of their arbitration eligible players, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Left fielder Corey Dickerson signs for $8.5MM, and reliever Keone Kela takes home $3.175MM. It’s a small arb class for the Pirates, whose list will grow next season as players like Josh Bell, Jameson Taillon, and Joe Musgrove, among others, reach their first season of eligibility.
- The Dodgers signed a couple of their remaining arbitration-eligible players yesterday, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter links). Utility man Chris Taylor has a $3.5MM deal, while outfield Joc Pederson settled at $5MM.
Earlier Updates
- Outfielder David Peralta has a $7MM deal with the Diamondbacks, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter).
- Trevor Story has settled for $5MM with the Rockies, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- The Dodgers have lined up deals with all of their arbitration-eligible players, J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group reports (Twitter links). Shortstop Corey Seager is slated to receive $4MM as a first-time arb eligible player. Seager had only a $2.6MM projection, but was clearly rewarded for the excellent output he turned in before missing all of the 2018 season due to Tommy John surgery. Reliever Josh Fields went for $2.85MM, Hoornstra adds on Twitter.
- Yasiel Puig has struck a $9.7MM deal with his new team, the Reds, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (via Twitter).
- The Mets have inked three notable players. Righty Zack Wheeler shook hands at $5.975MM, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets. Likewise, outfielder Michael Conforto ($4.025MM) and lefty Steven Matz ($2.625MM) have agreed to terms, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter links).
- Staying in the division, the Braves also have a trio of new deals today. Starter Kevin Gausman agreed at $9.35MM, righty Dan Winkler at $1.61MM, and lefty Sam Freeman at $1.375MM, per David O’Brien of The Athletic (Twitter link).
- The Phillies have agreements in place with all of their arb-eligible players except for star righty Aaron Nola, the club announced. Per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki, the salaries came in at $1.35MM for Aaron Altherr, $1.925MM for Jose Alvarez, $5.2MM for Maikel Franco, $7.75MM for Cesar Hernandez, $1.1MM for Adam Morgan, and $2.249MM for Vince Velasquez.
- Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw has agreed to a $4.675MM salary, while righty Zach Davies settled at $2.6MM, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (via Twitter).
- Cubs righty Carl Edwards Jr. secured a $1.5MM salary, per Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (via Twitter).
- Southpaw Adam Conley will earn $1.125MM with the Marlins, Murray tweets.
- The Marlins and J.T. Realmuto reached a $5.9MM agreement for the upcoming season, tweets Jon Heyman of Fancred. As perhaps the premier trade chip in baseball, Realmuto’s salary is of particular note for interested teams. He’d been projected at $6.1MM and can be controlled for another two seasons. Meanwhile, infielder Miguel Rojas will earn $3.155MM, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). He’s controllable through 2020 and was projected to earn $2.6MM, so he quite nicely topped our projection.
- Anthony DeSclafani agreed to a $2.125MM salary with the Reds, tweets Murray, which tops his $2.1MM projection by a narrow sum of $25K. The oft-injured righty will be expected to play a key role in an improving Cincinnati rotation this season and can be controlled through 2020.
- The D-backs and third baseman Jake Lamb are in agreement on a $4.825MM salary for next season, Murray tweets. That closely resembles the $4.7MM projection for Lamb, who’ll look to bounce back from shoulder troubles and reestablish himself before reaching free agency after the 2020 season.
- The Diamondbacks and Taijuan Walker settled at $5.025MM, tweets Murray. Walker, who’ll miss a portion of the 2019 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last April, had been projected to earn the same $4.825MM he made last season, which is common for players who miss an entire season. However, he’ll get a small raise after making three starts. Walker is controlled through 2020.
- Junior Guerra and the Brewers agreed at $2.225MM, Murray tweets, which checks in a bit south of Guerra’s $2.7MM projection. The late-blooming righty is controlled through the 2022 season. Murray adds that catcher Manny Pina will earn $1.6MM next year after being projected at $1.8MM. He’s controllable through 2021.
- Padres right-hander Kirby Yates agreed to a $3.0625MM deal that falls nicely in line with his $3MM projection, Murray tweets. Controlled for another two seasons, Yates has established himself as a high-quality reliever in recent years and figures to be among the game’s more prominent trade chips this summer.
- Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett has agreed to a $9.775MM salary for his final season of club control prior to free agency, tweets Nightengale Jr. He falls a bit shy of his $10.7MM projection, though a near-$10MM payday for Gennett is nonetheless indicative of how much he’s elevated his status since being claimed by the Reds two years ago.
- Righty Michael Wacha and the Cardinals are in agreement on a $6.35MM salary that is within striking distance of his $6.6MM projection (Twitter link via Nightengale). Wacha will be a free agent next winter.
- The Mets agreed to a $6MM salary with right-hander Noah Syndergaard, tweets Nightengale. That comes in $100K north of the $5.9MM projection for “Thor,” who is still controllable for another three seasons.
- Thomas Harding of MLB.com tweets that the Rockies agreed to a $960K salary for the 2019 season with catcher Tony Wolters. A rough season at the plate didn’t help Wolters’ earning power, and he’ll come in a bit shy of his $1.1MM projection. Murray tweets that the Rox are also in agreement with southpaw Tyler Anderson on a $2.625MM salary. He’d been projected for $2.9MM. Wolters is controllable for another four years as a Super Two player, while Anderson can be controlled for three.
- Newly acquired Brewers left-hander Alex Claudio agreed to a $1.275MM salary for the 2019 season, Murray tweets. Claudio, who can be controlled by Milwaukee for three seasons, was projected to earn $1.3MM.
- Trea Turner and the Nationals avoided a hearing by settling on a one-year deal worth $3.725MM, tweets Murray. That figures to represent one of the more significant misses from MLBTR’s arbitration algorithm this season, as Turner had been projected at $5.3MM as a first-time-eligible Super Two player. The star-caliber shortstop will nonetheless be poised for enormous earnings in arbitration, as he’ll be eligible three more times before reaching free agency after the 2022 season.
- Cubs lefty Mike Montgomery avoided arbitration with a one-year, $2.44MM contract, tweets Wittenmyer. Montgomery, eligible for arbitration for the first time and controllable for another three years, was projected to earn $3MM.
- The Rockies and right-hander Chad Bettis settled on a $3.35MM salary for 2019, tweets Nightengale. He’d been projected at $3.2MM and is controlled through the 2020 season.
- Giants reliever Will Smith has agreed to a $4.225MM salary for his final season of team control, Nightengale tweets. Smith’s outstanding 2018 season will push his arbitration salary a bit north of his $4.1MM projection as he gears up for his final season before reaching free agency.
- Diamondbacks southpaw Robbie Ray is set to earn $6.05MM next season after agreeing to a one-year deal, per Nightengale. That lands with in $50K of Ray’s $6.1MM projection. The left-hander is controlled through the 2020 season.
- The Marlins and right-hander Jose Urena settled at a $3.2MM salary for the 2019 campaign, Murray tweets, That figure checks in a bit shy of the $3.6MM projected for Urena, who is arb-eligible for the first time this offseason and remains under club control through the 2021 season. Meanwhile, Nightengale tweets that Dan Straily will earn a $5MM salary in 2019, topping his $4.8MM projection by $200K. Straily can be controlled through 2020.
- Kyle Schwarber and the Cubs have avoided arbitration with a one-year deal worth $3.39MM, tweets Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. That checks in slightly north of his $3.1MM projection as a first-time eligible player. Schwarber is controlled for another three seasons.
- The Braves and righty Dan Winkler settled at $1.61MM, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). That tops MLBTR’s projection by the slightest of margins, at $10K. Winkler is controllable through the 2020 season.
- Right-hander/pinch-hitter extraordinaire Michael Lorenzen and the Reds settled at $1.95MM, tweets Murray. He’d been projected to earn $1.9MM. Lorenzen is a Super Two player who’s eligible for arbitration for the second time this winter. Cincinnati can control him through the 2021 season, and he’ll be arb-eligible twice more. Bobby Nightengale Jr. of the Cincinnati Enquirer adds that Jose Peraza agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.775MM. The shortstop is a first-time eligible Super Two player who’d been projected at $3.6MM.
- The Braves announced that they’ve signed Charlie Culberson to a one-year deal worth $1.395MM, which lines up near perfectly with his $1.4MM projection. It’s his first trip through the arbitration process, and the Braves can control him through the 2021 season. Murray tweets that the Braves also settled at $2.875MM with outfielder Adam Duvall, who’d been projected at $3.1MM.
- Corey Knebel and the Brewers settled on a one-year, $5.125MM salary for the upcoming season, tweets Murray. The right-hander is in his second trip through arbitration as a Super Two player and had been projected at $4.9MM. He’s controlled through the 2021 season.
- The Cubs and right-hander Kyle Hendricks agreed to a one-year deal worth $7.405MM, tweets Fancred’s Jon Heyman. He’d been projected at $7.6MM and will be arb-eligible once more next winter before reaching free agency.
- Right-hander Mike Foltynewicz and the Braves settled at one year and $5.475MM, tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today, which lines up very closely with his $5.5MM projection. Folty’s breakout season netted him a substantial raise from last year’s $2.2MM, and he’ll be arb-eligible twice more before reaching free agency after the 2021 season.
- Braves closer Arodys Vizcaino has agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.8MM, tweets Robert Murray of The Athletic. That matches his $4.8MM salary projection on the dot. It’s the 28-year-old’s final season of arbitration eligibility, as he’ll be a free agent next winter.
- The Diamondbacks avoided arbitration with lefty reliever Andrew Chafin by agreeing to a one-year deal worth $1.945MM, tweets Murray. He’ll top his $1.8MM projection by a slight margin and will be arb-eligible once more next winter before hitting free agency following the 2020 season.
Looking forward to seeing where DeGrom’s number lands. I’m thinking between 12 and 15
17
Oh yeah I forgot that Lorenzen was Cincinnati’s secret pinch hit weapon. Dude hit some major dingers.
9 hits, 4 of them were homers, in just 31 at-bats. Unless rosters expand in the next CBA, I can see most teams eventually utilizing a guy in this way as benches get smaller and smaller. The last pitcher on the roster – the spot-starter/long reliever who can hit at least enough to pinch-hit regularly. I know that a few teams are now identifying which of their prospects could work both ways and developing them in that manner – I think the Brewers have actually been fairly aggressive in that, sending a couple outfield prospects with strong arms to winter league to pitch. If rosters do actually expand, to 27 or even 28 players, then it won’t be necessary; then teams can carry an old-school style left pinch-hitter-only type or a third-string catcher who maybe can’t catch well but can hit , but until then this seems like a useful project.
Yep I agree. Pirates did this with Brault a bit last year
ATL should’ve just let Duvall hit FA. He was historically awful after that trade.
I’d take him as a 4th OF and possible bench bat over most options, especially at that price. Not to mention a good defensive replacement if we end up with a sub par RF. He’s worth the chance of a bounce back, even though I don’t want him playing everyday.
i have a feeling the braves will see how Duvall does during the spring and at the same time get camargo some work in the OF. if he bounces back to .250 with 30 HRs im good with that. if he continues to struggle camargo goes to full time OF. i think pitching is more important at this point. but they have already missed out on alot of that….
I think if he tanks this year, he’ll be gone. But I can see keeping him on for this season.
Thanks AA.
They only started Duvall in 10 out of the 33 games, too small a sample. You also can’t fault a guys line too much if he goes from everyday ABs, to a PH.
looking more & more like he’s going to be the starting RF
Good job braves on all arbs except Duvall.. boooo!
I would rather give Duvall another chance than to give up top prospects for Haniger.
It’s not like there’s JUST Haniger or Duvall.
Renfroe of the Padres, grichuck of the blue jays, David Peralta of the DBACKS, Nomar Mazara of the Rangers are all trade candidates thatd cost less than Haniger and give you decent and possibly more production than Duvall.
Big names like Harper or Pollack are still out there in the event braves want to go big but cheap 1 year option like span or parra or Adam Jones work too.
Please make an offer for Randal Grichuk.
they getting harper or Pollack
Duvall’s BABIPs last 4 years: .273, .275, .290, .237.
You’re probably getting the the 2015-17 Duvall, not the 2018 one, relax.
If Cards have announced Wacha deal, I presume no deal with Ozuna. Wonder what that will end up at.
Now that arbitration has been settled for most of these guys, expect some to be on the block.
Duvall is worth the gamble at 30, he didn’t hit for Atlanta but his at bats were so limited. He did drive in 61 runs on 75 hits…..lot of production for a .195 average.
Maybe he will feel less pressure this year?
He only started 10 games, the other 23 were PH, and his BABIP was 40 points below around where its been almost every other year. Chances are he will be just fine in 2019 with regular ABs.
I’d love to get a 200k raise for three starts..
Maybe this isn’t the best place to comment on it but I am curious. Do the Cubs still have the highest ticket prices in baseball? Don’t the Cubs own the building behind them and charge for the rooftop view? Aren’t they sold out EVERY home game? I’ve been there on opening day and the prices for beer and hot dogs didn’t go down so … I am wondering if it’s just me or if anyone else believes OWNERSHIP should help go after Harper?
There is something else going on. I believe it has to do with the TV deal. Somehow, I have no clue, but somehow, the Cubs not throwing money around right now behooves them according to this TV deal, and getting said deal done.
Now they still may not go sign Bryce Harper, but they will get a reliever and possibly a catcher. And ownership could easily argue that the top of their payroll outside of Jon Lester(worth every penny) is making this and producing that.
Examples:
Heyward – 23 million/year
Darvish – 21 million/year
Morrow – 11 million/year
Chatwood – 12.5 million/year
These four players accounted for 67.5 million. That is terrible
Their window for a reliever that can make a difference is about to shut if they don’t get Ottavino because their biggest need is STILL a closer. Morrow would make a better set-up man anyway. They may not be able to shed payroll, but there are some very plausible blockbuster trades staring Epstein right in the face. Yankees have too many infielders….they would almost certainly deal Torres or Andujar if Cubs offered something like Quintana and Edwards in return. With the Mets paying out the ear for DeGrom, they may be even more likely to trade Syndergaard for something like Quintana and Almora because they need a true CF. I wouldn’t even be against trading away Bryant if they could get back Thor and a solid prospect. Indians have ZERO talent in the OF. One of the few teams that may be willing to take part of Heyward’s contract (maybe SF is the other?) I don’t understand why they are doing NOTHING at the prices they charge their fanbase. I hope they have something big coming through at the last minute…. I hope. Yeah, I just Shawshanked it there…
They need pitching why would they trade a starter and a reliever? And no way will the Yankees trade Torres especially back to the Cubs
None of those trades are feasible. The cubs aren’t getting andjuar or torres for Q and edwards, they aren’t gettind Degrom for Q and Almora, and noone is going to pay a substantial portion of Heywards contract. He is currently owed 106 million dollars over 5 years. At best maybe someone pays 20 million of that? For a front office that signed the guy, 86 million dollars is a huge loss to cut (even if it is the best move). That would put a whole field of egg on their faces
Edwards has the stuff but has under-performed of late, trading him now while he still offers good trade value is just common sense and it is a good trade for Yankees given their infield depth and desire to add pitching. With the addition of another closer, they wouldn’t miss him too much with Strop, Morrow, and Cishek pitching late. The subtraction of Quintanas contract would also cover the addition of Ottavino, so even more common sense. It just gets worse on these boards every day, I mean is it really that hard to understand? The only ones voting down are the fans that can’t see losing their favorites like Torres or Bryant. Cubs showed they needed another bat at the end last season so the trade works for them as well because Quintana is nothing but a number 5 in this rotation anyway. Also, who is to say the Cubs are favored to make the playoffs this year? Every other team in the division got better, but the Cubs haven’t done anything. Why not trade players like Bryant to get back young, solid pitching instead of paying him 250 million in 2 years? What if he continues to pull singles into LF and fails to improve much from last season? Then all that trade value is lost…
They don’t need that much pitching @sims. They need a closer, lets face it Morrow never really was going to be that guy and he is built of glass. They are already over the luxury tax, so may as well add Ottavino. Quintana and Edwards would bring back more value than what they are providing IMO. It wasn’t pitching they needed last year, but if that’s the way you think they should go, then they can pay Ottavino AND trade for an ace like Kluber or Thor if they make the right trades. Happ, Almora, and even Bryant are expendible if it means bringing in younger, stronger arms in the rotation.
The Yankees infielders are worth much more than a good reliever and a SP that has been average for two years. I am a Cubs fan but this is delusional.
Megaj. We cannot trade Bryant he is a pivotal piece to this teams success. We have him for three more years before he becomes a free agent in 2022 when he is 30 years old. Realistically our current window is only three years. He is a must have, we already have a serviceable deep rotation, and that should stay true for the next two to three years. Don’t let one injury riddled season sway your opinion on Bryant’s future elite status in the league.
Ricketts isn’t gonna let Theo spend anymore money based on those awful contracts you just mentioned. I don’t blame him. This is the first time I can recall when Ricketts has even involved himself in these matters. That’s a lot of dead money. That being said their window won’t be open forever, and it is just plain dumb to let other teams pass you up during it. The Cubs have plenty of money now is the time to go all in.
The Cubs are the second oldest team in the NL at 30.2 years. The Cardinals the second youngest at 27.7. Brewers, Pirates, and Reds are closer to the Cards than the Cubs.
Individual players excepted, the Cubs on average are in decline. The rest of the Division is stable or rising. You don’t give big FA contracts when you need to rebuild.
Other than Zobrist, no other hitter is older than 32 in the lineup. Hamels and Lester are 35 but still pretty effective, so your argument doesn’t work that well.
How old are Wainwright, Molina, Carpenter, Fowler, Miller and Goldschmidt?
Maybe he meant 2nd oldest rotation? That I could see.
I was hoping somehow Wheeler would come back to the Giants.
All these arbitration numbers show what is the issue with baseball more than any other sport. All these guys are getting paid “low” salaries during their best years, then they hit free agency as a 29/30 year old just as they’re about to get into the downhill parts of their careers and teams are paying them the big deals for what is likely the less productive years.
The way MLB works with all the arbitration years unless a player comes up like Harper or Machado did at a very young age teams are going to continue to be less likely to give long term contracts when these players are expecting their big paydays.
Been reported elsewhere Pirates agreed to terms with both of their arbitration eligible players, Dickerson and Kela. Why not here?
The Cubs inactivity is solely linked to the Heyward contract. That contract unfortunately is what is going to tarnish Theo’s sterling resume. Heyward’s contract is the 14th richest contract in MLB history! Go ahead and read that again let it marinate. Go look at the richest MLB contracts list the names in front of and even more disturbing behind him will make you nauseous. This very well could be the worst contract in MLB history. For all Theo has done for the Cubs this might be what does them in.
You’re saying that as if Theo didn’t do dumb things in Boston; see Crawford, Carl and Lugo, Julio. Theo has many great qualities; fanatically organized, works 23 hours a day, motivates his underlings, has a great public presence. But like just about any other GM, he’s had his colossal flops.
The best thing we can say about Theo is that he brings old, stifling Front Offices out of the Dark Ages, and that he always is smart enough to find owners (new ones) who aren’t afraid to spend money. Beyond that, he’s fairly “meh”.
Cubs fans should be concerned, tho, that unlike when he was with the Sox, he hasn’t maintained a talent pipeline going, even through MLB success. It’s tough to find a decent prospect in Cubbie land. With the arbitration clock ticking on their core, the Cubs could be in for some rough times.
And I’m not all that sure the Rickets are as generous with their checkbook like John Henry (Sox) is.