The Rays have won their arbitration hearing against left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter). Tampa Bay will pay Yarbrough $2.3MM in 2021, as opposed to the $3.1MM salary Yarbrough was hoping to land.
This was the first of four arb-eligible years for Yarbrough, who qualified for the extra arbitration year by gaining enough service time to reach Super Two eligibility. He therefore gets his first big (if not quite as big as he was hoping) guaranteed payday a bit earlier in his career, and he’ll have an opportunity for greater earning potential as his arbitration salaries escalate up until he is eligible for free agency following the 2024 season.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected a salary in the range of $2.2MM to $3.6MM for Yarbrough, a wider range than usual due to both the unusual nature of the 2020 season and due to the Rays’ unique usage of Yarbrough for much of his pro career. Tampa often deployed Yarbrough as a bulk pitcher in both 2018 and 2019, with the southpaw entering the game for extended outings in “relief” after an opener tossed the first inning or two.
Yarbrough mostly worked as a regular starter in 2020 (starting nine of 11 games), which may have additionally worked against him since arbiters tend to rely on traditional statistics in hearings. By that standard, Yarbrough only recorded one win and 44 strikeouts in 55 2/3 innings, along with a 3.56 ERA. This case could also be an important precedent for future arbitration cases involving bulk pitchers, as the Rays and other teams continue to blur the lines between the standard definitions of starters and relievers.
No matter the role, Yarbrough has posted some solid numbers over his three MLB seasons and 344 2/3 career innings. The 29-year-old has a 3.94 ERA (4.44 SIERA) and a middle-of-the-pack 20.3% strikeout rate, but also a tiny 5.8% walk rate. Between this strong control and an elite ability to limit hard contact, Yarbrough had found success despite a fastball that averaged only 87.4mph last season.
The Rays end the 2020-21 arbitration season with a .500 record in cases, topping Yarbrough but losing to first baseman Ji-Man Choi.
That sucks. Being paid less by one of the lowest spending teams
Ray’s being Ray’s . Cheap assholes
Why would you want to play for the Rays?
I’m sure you feel the same way about St Louis and Atlanta since they also lost arbitration cases?
Why would you want to play for the rays?
1. Because players like playing in the major leagues
2. 2.3 million is still generational wealth for non white privileged people.
3. They’re a winning franchise
4. Pitchers usually leave the Rays franchise and are rewarded handsomely with huge pay days.
Should be asking what player wouldn’t want to play for the rays to be honest.
Idk, I think $2.3 million is still generational changing money for anyone as long as you aren’t already a millionare.
It allowed them to sign Collin McHugh.
Do you folks pay $6 for a $5 item?
Let’s not let facts get in the way of a good narrative ok buddy.
Settle down buddy
What really sucks for you must be watching the Rays and their tiny payroll having better results than your overpaid team.
I’m sure any team would be able to compete with the number of top 10 picks in the draft they get . so other teams have to as you put overpay there teams it doesn’t change the fact that the Ray’s are cheap
Speaking of facts, the Rays have had 1 top-10 pick in the last 13 years. Try harder!
It’s kind of like having a tiny male part of the body but yet landing all the chicks
I’ve always been very curious as to how the cap specialist guys are able to predict (usually quite accurately) how much a player is gonna get in arbitration
He’s practically priced out of the TB budget already.
Technically, the Rays didn’t make this decision. An arbitrator did. I’m not sure why people are upset with the Rays.
They lowballed him, that’s why. What a bogus and disrespectful offer.
If spending money correlates to winning, why don’t the yankmees and dodgers win every year?
Ya, blaming the Rays doesn’t get you anywhere, although players from the Union (and John Smoltz, BTW) saw this coming when the Rays started with the “opener”. Some of the conspiracies theorists claim that THAT was the reason for the opener, to devalue starting pitching. Frankly, given the Rays and how they operate, it’s not an unpopular opinion.
The solution is pretty simple; just change the metrics. You WANT the decisions to be numerically based, vs. the old “other players don’t like him” BS. So just change the parameters to include (just guessing here) innings pitched, or something.
OTOH the Rays could have garnered some good publicity (not that it would mean anything at the box office); if they had just paid him. Yarborough is extremely likeable, and at least you know what you’ve got; a solid #3; everybody else (yes, even Glassnow) is a bit iffy.
Hey 2.3m ain’t bad at all, the average “Joe” would have to work for 40 years @ 57.5k yearly to match Ryan’s total for one year.
BINGO!!!
I do not think you are taking into consideration the potentially high tax hit including the Jock Tax in many states. He might be able to avoid Florida state income tax, but not the high federal tax hit.
Yarbrough is one of four Super Twos that went to a hearing this year. Soroka won his hearing, but Yarbrough, Davis and Santander lost. Since 2009, 20 Super Twos have gone to a hearing. The teams have won 14 and lost 6, a much higher percentage for teams than the historical percentage for all teams and players. Interestingly, Mark Burstein was one of the arbitrators on Yarbrough’s panel along with Jules Bloch and Allen Ponak. If my research is correct, Burstein has served on eight panels with Super Twos, and all have chosen the team’s number. Burstein’s total numbers are 13 for teams and 7 for players.
Yes Ed, he has no state tax in Florida, and the “jock tax”, you are referring to I am assuming pertains to his agency that represents him. Just pointing out that he still makes pretty good bucks. Some of the folks on here seem to think it is there money being spent, we here in “Raysland” have to accept what we are given, and they have given us competitive teams, and that’s all we can ask for besides nice weather in February, Cheers!
The “Jock Tax” is actually money paid to city and states with ordinances or laws taxing professional athletes for playing games in their city or state. So, that tax is a mandatory income tax based on different rates, and, in some instances without a credit for any state income tax paid. One good explanation of the history of this tax is here – taxaball.com/what-is-the-jock-tax.html. Plus, to avoid state income tax he has to be a domiciliary of Florida. He did graduate from high school in Florida, so he might be a domiciliary of Florida. He does have payment to the agency that represents him, in this case Excel Sports Management, plus union dues. He is in a high tax bracket, so the Feds get a nice payment. I agree with your perception about some of the reactions to the money these guys make. coming out of the writer’s own pockets. And, yes, even the MLB minimum salary is a great wage, but Yarbrough spent five years in the minors. Basically, his income during those years was his fourth round signing bonus. Sandy Koufax was the first pitcher to break the $100,000 barrier. That certainly does not equal Trevor Bauer or Clayton Kershaw’s salary.