Tonight marks the deadline for teams to tender contracts to players who are eligible for arbitration. This evening should also see a handful of arb-eligible players agree to terms with their clubs to avoid a hearing.
These so-called “pre-tender deals” usually, although not always, involve players who were borderline non-tender candidates. Rather than run the risk of being cut loose, they can look to sign in the lead-up to the deadline. Those salaries often come in a little below projections, since these players tend to have less leverage because of the uncertainty about whether they’ll be offered a contract at all.
Under the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, players who sign to avoid an arbitration hearing are guaranteed full termination pay. That’s a change from prior CBAs, when teams could release an arb-eligible player before the season began and would only owe a prorated portion of the contract. This was done to incentivize teams and players to get deals done without going to a hearing.
All salary projections referenced are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz. This post will be updated throughout the night as deals are reported.
Latest Moves
- The Orioles agreed to deals with outfielders Sam Hilliard and Ryan McKenna, reliever Keegan Akin and shortstop Jorge Mateo, as announced by the team. Mateo will make $2.7MM, as first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (X link). Jon Heyman of the New York Post has terms (on X) for Akin and Hilliard: $825K for the former, $800K for the latter.
- Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski has a deal for $7.9MM, Heyman reports. That’s a little above his $7.3MM projection. Yastrzemski has one additional arbitration year remaining.
- Reliever Yency Almonte and the Dodgers have agreed to a $1.9MM salary, per Heyman. That matches his projection.
- Lefty reliever Ryan Borucki agreed to a contract with the Pirates, the team announced. Feinsand reports it as a $1.6MM deal. He was projected at $1.3MM.
- The Rockies have a deal with lefty reliever Jalen Beeks, Heyman reports. He’ll make $1.675MM. Recently claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay, Beeks was projected at $1.8MM.
- The Cubs announced a deal with third baseman Patrick Wisdom. Jesse Rogers of ESPN reports that the power-hitting infielder will make $2.725MM. That’s narrowly above a $2.6MM projection.
- Outfielder DJ Stewart agreed to a deal with the Mets, per a club announcement. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports it’ll be for $1.38MM. Stewart had been projected at $1.5MM as an early qualifier via Super Two.
- The Phillies announced deals with right-hander Dylan Covey, catcher Garrett Stubbs and outfielder Jake Cave. Terms were not disclosed.
- The White Sox announced agreement with reliever Matt Foster on a deal for $750K, narrowly above the league minimum. The right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery in April.
Earlier Tonight
- The Royals announced agreement with lefty reliever Josh Taylor. He’ll make $1.1MM, tweets Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Acquired from the Red Sox last winter, Taylor allowed an 8.15 ERA over 17 2/3 innings before undergoing season-ending back surgery. He was projected for a $1.3MM salary.
- The Athletics announced today that they have agreed to one-year deals with infielders Miguel Andujar and Abraham Toro. The club claimed Andujar off waivers from Pittsburgh earlier this month and swung a deal to acquire Toro from the Brewers earlier this week. Andujar hit .250/.300/.476 in 90 trips to the plate in the majors this year while Toro appeared in just nine games at the big league level but slashed .444/.524/.778 in that extremely limited action. Andujar will make $1.7MM (Heyman link); Toro is set for a $1.275MM salary.
- The Giants have a deal with outfielder Austin Slater for $4MM, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid (X link). That’s a little north of his $3.6MM projected salary. Slater has over five years of service time and will be a free agent next offseason. The right-handed hitter is coming off a .270/.348/.400 showing over 89 games. He’s a career .285/.374/.463 batter against left-handed pitching but owns a .227/.314/.333 mark versus righties.
Solid deal for SF and Slater. He’s an excellent platoon outfieler
Is there a time tonight when these must be completed? 7 pm ET? Midnight?
The deadline was 15 minutes ago- 5pm West Coast time.
It’s only 6:15 east coast…west coast is only an hour behind?
I’m dumb. Been a rough day and I assumed it was 5:15. Its only 3:15. We still have 1 hour and 40-ish minutes. My bad.
So you’re still stuck at work?
Gwynning: TGIF !
I believe it is 8 pm ET
It’s interesting that of all their decisions to make, they came out of the gate with Slater’s first.
What decisions are you talking about?
I criticize the Giants a lot but honestly I think slater has proven himself one of the most useful bench guys in the game. Happy they got it done.
I’m a little surprised on Slater.
I thought his spot would go to Ramos or Matos.
Or Fitzgerald.
I think Fitz is going to be a surprise contender on the infield.
Came here to say exactly this..the org is high on him and he can handle SS
I think it’s going to be hard for Ramos to make the club. 3 right handed hitting outfielders in front of him. Slater, Matos, and Haniger. Then there’s Fitzgerald who could be super utility. With Yaz, Conforto from the left side I see a trade coming if they add a centerfielder.
Also Ramos is bad.
Agreed & they didn’t protect him from Rule 5.
He’s on the 40man roster so is protected.
Still only 23 so has time to figure it out. Has good hard ball contact so there’s hope.
I honestly believe the A’s are a great place for Andujar and he will do his version of thrive there.
Must be tough to be the GM of the A’s right now.
I’m just waiting to hear the words I’ve been dying to hear for 2 years. Patrick Wisdom Non-Tendered.
This didn’t age well
I cannot believe he is getting $2.75 million. He’s barely worth league minimum.
This scares me that they aren’t going to do anything major at 1B. Maybe bring in a lefty bat to platoon with him?
Oof. Imagine a wisdom and tellez platoon at 1b?
They have to be planning something.
That’s what I was thinking. I wouldn’t mind seeing Brandon Belt instead of Tellez.
Honestly, I didn’t realize the lefty 1b market was so crowded. Vogelbach, tellez, belt, Votto, hosmer, and probably some others I forget.
Josh Bell’s agent is a smart man.
Heck a Justin Turner and Belt tandem at 1b and DH? Any team would love that
Could be Dan the Van Vogelbach
That’s not bad at all.
Agree
Wisdom getting nearly 3 million dollars is a joke. Surprised Hoyer didn’t sign him for two years since he loves throwing money away apparently.
It’s my understanding that they can still dfa him between now and spring and they won’t owe all the money but it’s still pretty ridiculous offering him a contract.
Really needs a thumbs down here.
Why does Hoyer love wasting money?
This could be quite a long list this year…
A’s are making some nice little moves. Love the Andujar grab and toro could be a dark horse
The Royals are making some intriguing moves as well getting Anderson and Kyle Wright, even though he’ll be out all this next season, and it remains to.he seen whether or not his shoulder can hold up again.
White Sox bought extremely low on some solid depth pieces and reclamation projects as well, (Nicky Lopez, Michael Soroka, Jared Shuster, Braden Shewmake) and got a good 2023 draftee in Riley Gowens.
Projected Yaz for a $1.1m raise and he got $1.7m. That’s quite the miss, wonder what happened there.
The Giants are idiots for bringing him back. That’s what happened
DJ Stewart gets Vogelbach’s role, except he can play the field.
Have you seen DJ play the outfield. I saw him play there too many times in Baltimore. He’s like a tank in a Formula One race.
And yet still a better fielder than Vogelbach, who hasn’t put a glove on his hand since Little League.
@baked mcbride DJ may have lost weight. He looks…. rotund, to be polite, but he actually moves pretty well and he’s reasonably quick, and is a break even baserunner, career. 26.3 fps sprint speed, which isn’t ideal, but it’s tolerable for a backup OFer / RFer / backup DH v RHP on a contender. He’s a respectable PH’er. vs RHP.
In fact you could do worse (and a lot of teams have) if he’s your primary DH vs RHP (..784 OPS, career). At $1.385m he’s a good addition, particularly with the complete uncertainty surrounding Marte, and a distinct upgrade on Vogelbach who is so disliked by fans he’s almost unplayable unless you’re looking for trouble or seeking to make a point.
I’m Disappointed Yaz is coming back. He’s terrible
Obviously an adopted Yastrzemski.
Gumby82 — Yaz is not “terrible.” He’s solid at everything he does, but unless he starts to hit for a better average and a touch more power he will become over priced. He’s, nevertheless, a solid player.
$7.9m for a 2.4 WAR player close to 4.0 WAR / 650 PA and who can play all 3 OF positions well is “overpriced”?
There isn’t a team in the majors that wouldn’t take him.
Very pleased to see Friedman bringing Almonte back!
Giants now have the most expensive outfield in the NL West. FML
And the worst. Farhan sucks balls
Giants outfield was awful last year, so of course Zaidi wants to bring the same guys back. Barf
About SF and Yaz
OK, he should be tendered and avoiding arb is a good thing.
But he was on the IL 3 times last year. He didn’t push the needle. So let’s give you more than your expected/projected arb salary.
I’m a Yaz fan. But I’m a lifelong Giant fan. If SF signs Bellinger and can flip Yaz for anything, do it. His MVP votes from 2020 feel like 10 years ago.
Yeah, 2.4 rWAR in 381 PA—wotta bum!
Seems like most of these numbers are higher than projected. I winder if that’s going to carry over into arbitration and free agency?
Sometimes it’s easier to give a guy a few extra bucks and avoid the whole arbitration process. Most of these guys have been with their teams a long time. So spread the wealth a little.
I really hate the fact that Wisdom was resigned; he is a classic Bum slayer. Most of his homeruns occurred in games that Cubs were blowing out someone and the other team is emptying out the bullpen.
To be honest, I forgot Matt Foster was still on the Sox…Im sure Getz will trade him for another former or current KC player.
Wisdom=why —-he can’t field—