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Unresolved 2019 Arbitration Cases

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Yesterday’s arbitration deadline wasn’t a firm date for agreeing to terms. Rather, it was the end of the period to negotiate before submitting numbers for possible hearings. Negotiations can continue thereafter, but teams and players will now have to defend their submission numbers if they can’t bridge the gap before a hearing. Baseball arb panels simply pick one side’s number; that aspect of the process is designed to force the parties to the bargaining table.

[RELATED: MLBTR Arbitration Projections; MLBTR Arbitration Tracker]

Here’s what we know thus far about the still-unresolved cases:

Today’s Updates

  • The Yankees have yet to come to a deal with ace starter Luis Severino, and they may be heading to arbitration. The Yanks have submitted their bid at $4.4MM, while Severino has asked for $5.25MM, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter).
  • Tommy Pham and the Rays have submitted their numbers for arbitration, per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (via Twitter). Pham filed at $4.1MM while the Rays submitted a bid of $3.5MM. Pham has had no problem expressing his honest opinion about the Rays fanbase of late, and it will be interesting to see if he gets an equal portion of honest feedback in return in his arbitration hearing.
  • The Oakland A’s and their closer Blake Treinen have both submitted their numbers, with the team coming in at $5.6MM while Treinen files for $6.4MM, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). It’s not a shock to see these sides far apart, given Treinen’s remarkable 2018 and how far above his usual standard of production last season’s numbers fell.
  • Washington Nationals filed at $1.725MM for newcomer Kyle Barraclough, who counters at $2MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter). The former Marlin was acquired in an uncommonly early offseason trade that sent international bonus pool money the Marlins’ way.
  • The Diamondbacks have only one player they did not reach an agreement with, lefty reliever T.J. McFarland. The Dbacks submitted a bid of $1.275MM, while McFarland is asking for $1.675MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter).
  • Alex Wood submitted $9.65MM for his 2019 salary, while his new club the Cincinnati Reds countered at $8.7MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter). Wood will be a free agent at season’s end.
  • The Detroit Tigers reached agreements with all of their arbitration eligible players except for right-handed starter Michael Fulmer. Fulmer comes in at $3.4MM with the team countering at $2.8MM, the difference being 600K, per Nightengale (via Twitter).
  • Ryan Tepera has filed for $1.8MM while the Blue Jays submitted their bid at $1.525MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter). Tepera has been a reliable bullpen arm for the Jays through his first four seasons. He has two more seasons of arbitration remaining, set to reach free agency in advance of the 2022 season.
  • Reserve outfielder Michael A. Taylor and the Washington Nationals are a 250K apart, per Nightengale (via Twitter). Seems like a rather small sum to quibble over in the grand scheme of things, but every cent counts right now in Washington, it seems. Taylor submitted a bid of $3.5MM, with the Nats countering at $3.25MM.

Earlier Updates

  • Rockies star Nolan Arenado is headed for a record arb salary, unsurprisingly. The question is by how much. He has filed at a whopping $30MM, with the club countering at $24MM, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). Even the lower figure would represent a record. It doesn’t seem as if the sides will go to a high-stakes hearing on this one; Jeff Passan of ESPN.com tweets that the odds are good they’ll find common ground. MLBTR and contributor Matt Swartz projected Arenado to earn $26.1MM, though he also explained that it’s not hard to see that number swaying in either direction based upon a close examination of the (few relevant) comps.
  • Despite a monster 2018 season, Phillies righty Aaron Nola isn’t seeking to set a record first-year arb starter salary. (That belongs to Dallas Keuchel, at $7.25MM, when he was coming off of a Cy Young season.) Nola did file at a hefty $6.75MM, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia (via Twitter), while the club entered just $4.5MM. It’ll be interesting to see how this one plays out. The Keuchel salary represented a sea change for young starters, but few others have tested the process since. MLBTR’s projection system spit out a $6.6MM figure for Nola.
  • Righty Gerrit Cole filed at $13.5MM, while the Astros countered at $11.425MM, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter link). Teammates Carlos Correa and Chris Devenski have also yet to agree to terms. MLBTR projected Cole to earn $13.1MM in his final arb season, Correa to check in at $5.1MM in his first arb year, and Devenski to take home $1.4MM his first time through the process.
  • Indians righty Trevor Bauer is seeking a $13MM payday, while the club will argue instead for $11MM, per Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer (via Twitter). The Cleveland org has long utilized a file-and-trial approach on a case-by-case basis. It’s not totally clear whether that’ll be the approach here, but as Hoynes notes, the sides did go to a hearing already last year. (Bauer won.) MLBTR projected a $11.6MM payday; Swartz also explained why he thought the model was likely in the right ballpark for Bauer in a detailed post.
  • Passan provides a list of other players who have yet to agree to terms and who could therefore still end up before a panel. There are fifteen in total, including those already noted above as well as Kyle Barraclough and Michael Taylor (Nationals), Michael Fulmer (Tigers), T.J. McFarland (Diamondbacks), Tommy Pham (Rays), Luis Severino (Yankees), Ryan Tepera (Blue Jays), Blake Treinen (Athletics), and Alex Wood (Reds).

Market Notes: Smith/Watson, Reds, White Sox, AGon

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Let’s catch up on a few market notes from around the game after a busy day on the arbitration front …

  • The Angels are evidently a team to watch on Giants southpaws Will Smith and Tony Watson, as Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports that the teams “have been in constant contact this winter” regarding both pitchers (subscription link). It’s not surprising to see the Halos chasing lefties, as their current staff is quite thin in that area. Whether or not the club will offer up enough to entice the Giants remains to be seen. The San Francisco org is surely willing to deal either or both of these veteran relievers, each of whom is coming off of a strong season with an appealing contract situation, but there figures to be ample interest from other teams as well. With many of the best free agent relievers already off the board, now may be the time for new Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to market his southpaws in earnest.
  • The Reds are still looking to add another starter, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. He ticks through some possibilities, though it’s not clear that any particular pitcher is especially likely at this point. Among the potential targets, the Reds are still pursuing Yankees starter Sonny Gray, per Jon Heyman of Fancred (via Twitter). While the New York club made clear at the outset of the winter that Gray was on the block, recent indications are that there’s some consideration of hanging on to him. If nothing else, the Yanks are still trying to get value back. Heyman says that GM Brian Cashman is asking for more than one pitching prospect in return. While it’s doubtful he expects to land a premium arm, the veteran exec is said to be seeking “multiple … upper level guys with a chance.”
  • Likewise, the White Sox are still interested in filling out their rotation, GM Rick Hahn told reporters including Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (Twitter link). While the veteran exec emphasized that the organization still sees Manny Banuelos and Dylan Covey as possibilities, he indicated that depth remains a consideration. Needless to say, neither of those pitchers has established himself as a reliable MLB starter to this point, so it’s unsurprising to hear that the South Siders are still flipping through some external targets.
  • Veteran first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is readying for a showcase in the coming days, Jon Heyman of Fancred reports on Twitter. He’s said to be in “excellent shape,” though teams will surely remain a bit skeptical after two consecutive unproductive campaigns. The 36-year-old Gonzalez was long one of the game’s most respected hitters, of course, but it’s tough to imagine him securing a MLB roster spot on the open market at this stage. Still, there should be some teams with bench bat needs that would be glad to give Gonzalez a shot to show what he’s got left in camp.

Indians Claim A.J. Cole

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The Indians have claimed righty A.J. Cole off waivers from the Yankees, per club announcements. Brandon Warne of Zone Coverage first tweeted the news.

Cole, who recently turned 27, had failed to catch on with the Nationals before landing with the Yanks last year. He carved out a role in the New York bullpen, where he worked to a 4.26 ERA in 38 innings over 28 appearances. The out-of-options hurler could function as a long man for a Cleveland org that is looking for ways to improve on the cheap.

There were certainly some positives last year, as Cole worked off of a mid-nineties fastball and logged 11.6 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 with the Yankees. He continued to struggle with the long ball, though, and has allowed nearly two per nine innings during his 148 career innings in the majors.

Orioles Claim Hanser Alberto, Designate Andrew Susac

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The Orioles have claimed infielder Hanser Alberto off waivers from the Yankees, the clubs announced. To create roster space, the Baltimore org designated catcher Andrew Susac for assignment.

The 26-year-old Alberto has minimal MLB experience. He hasn’t hit much in his 192 total plate appearances over the past three seasons. In exactly one thousand total Triple-A plate appearances, however, he carries a solid .309/.330/.438 slash.

Susac, 28, has appeared in the majors in each of the past five seasons. He got off to an excellent start in a brief 2014 debut, at which time he was viewed as an intriguing prospect, but hasn’t had much offensive success in the majors since. Susac did carry a .256/.405/.456 batting line in his 158 plate appearances last year at the highest level of the minors.

Yankees Sign Drew Hutchison To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees announced Friday that they’ve signed right-hander Drew Hutchison to a minor league contract and invited him to Major League Spring Training. Outfielder Matt Lipka, too, will receive a minor league deal and a non-roster invite to Major League camp.

Hutchison, 28, once looked like a promising long-term piece in the Blue Jays’ rotation, but Tommy John surgery threw a wrench into his outlook early in his career. The righty has bounced around the league over the past several seasons, most recently splitting the 2018 campaign with the Phillies and Rangers — throwing exactly 21 1/3 innings for each club. Hutchison was pummeled for a combined 6.75 ERA in that stretch and owns a lackluster 5.10 ERA in 460 1/3 MLB innings. However, he’s been vastly better in Triple-A, where he’s compiled a 3.58 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and 0.8 HR/9 in 362 1/3 innings. He’ll give the Yankees some depth in the rotation heading into camp this spring.

Lipka, meanwhile, batted .240/.329/.359 as a 26-year-old in Double-A last season. A converted shortstop, Lipka has logged more than 4000 innings in center field since moving there in 2012 and brings some speed to the table, with 186 career stolen bases in 868 games. He stole 21 bags this past season, 25 in 2017 and topped out at 37 swipes back in 2013. Lipka has never hit for much power, though, and last season’s .329 OBP was his highest since a .335 mark in Class-A Advanced back in 2012.

Yankees Designate Hanser Alberto For Assignment

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The Yankees announced Friday that infielder Hanser Alberto has been designated for assignment. His roster spot will go to left-hander Zach Britton, whose three-year deal to return to the club is now official.

Alberto, 26, was claimed off waivers in early November, perhaps with an eye toward adding some infield depth following the loss of Didi Gregorius to Tommy John surgery. He’ll lose his 40-man roster spot with the Yanks before ever suiting up, though his strong work in Triple-A could generate interest elsewhere. Alberto, who has experience at second base, shortstop and third base, is a .309/.330/.438 hitter in 1000 Triple-A plate appearances, though he’s managed just a .192/.210/.231 slash through 192 MLB plate appearances with the Rangers.

Yankees Re-Sign Zach Britton

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Jan. 11: The Yankees have now formally announced Britton’s return to the organization.

Jan. 5, 8:13pm: Britton will earn $13MM in each of the next three seasons and could make another $14MM in 2022, according to Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports. All said, it’s a $39MM guarantee that could reach $53MM. However, if Britton opts out after two years, it’ll be $26MM. He’ll also get a $1MM assignment bonus if the Yankees trade him, Rosenthal relays.

8:03pm: The three-year guarantee is in the $40MM neighborhood, tweets Rosenthal, who writes that it could go “beyond” $50MM over four years. Bob Nightengale of USA Today notes the figure would be between $50MM and $55MM.

7:50pm: A deal is in place, per Jeff Passan of ESPN, who reports it’ll be for approximately $13MM per season. Passan adds the Yankees will be able to exercise a fourth-year option after the second season. Otherwise, Britton will have the choice to opt out at the conclusion of the second year.

7:40pm: The Yankees are making progress on a contract with free-agent reliever Zach Britton, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. The two sides could finalize an agreement “soon,” per Rosenthal. The deal will be for three guaranteed years, but it’ll include an opt-out clause for Britton and an opt-in for the Yankees that could take it to four years, Jon Heyman of Fancred reports. Britton is a client of the Boras Corporation.

New York has shown reported interest throughout the winter in Britton, one of two key relievers the team saw reach free agency after last season. One of those hurlers, righty David Robertson, signed with the Phillies on Friday, making it all the more important for the Yankees to re-up the left-handed Britton.

The 31-year-old Britton, best known for what was at times an elite run with the Orioles from 2011-18, joined the Yankees last July in a midseason trade between the AL East rivals. Britton then tossed 25 innings of 2.88 ERA ball as a Yankee, adding 7.56 K/9 against 3.96 BB/9. Between the O’s and Yanks, Britton managed a 3.10 ERA and a stellar 73 percent groundball rate over 40 2/3 frames in 2018, though his strikeout and walk numbers (7.52 K/9 and 4.65 BB/9) left much to be desired, as did his 4.22 FIP and 25 percent home run-to-fly ball rate. The sinker-reliant Britton also didn’t offer the same velocity he had during previous seasons.

Last season was the second straight injury-shortened campaign for Britton, who has battled forearm, knee and Achilles issues since his 2014-16 heyday in Baltimore. Thanks in part to his health troubles, Britton hasn’t been the dominant force he was during that otherworldly three-year stretch. Across 209 innings in those seasons, Britton led relievers in groundball rate (77.9 percent), finished second in ERA (1.38), logged 9.26 K/9 against 2.37 BB/9, and converted 120 of 128 save chances.

While Britton is no doubt one of the majors’ most proven closers, he won’t be the game-ending option next season in New York, which already has Aroldis Chapman for that role. He’s instead in line to rejoin Dellin Betances and Chad Green as the top setup options to Chapman (depth chart), and it’s possible free-agent righty Adam Ottavino will slide in along with them. Ottavino, the second-best free-agent reliever left (trailing Craig Kimbrel), remains a possibility for the Yankees, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweets.

Adding Ottavino would be yet another costly move for the Yankees to ensure they offer another all-world bullpen in 2019. For now, with Kimbrel still on the board, Britton stands as the highest-paid reliever in this winter’s class. With $39MM in guaranteed money coming to him, Britton’s contract outdoes the deals awarded this offseason to similarly regarded relievers Robertson, Jeurys Familia, Andrew Miller, Joe Kelly and Joakim Soria. Britton’s pact is also worth north of the $33MM guarantee MLBTR predicted he’d secure when he entered free agency.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: Thursday

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The deadline for teams and players to exchange arbitration figures is tomorrow afternoon at 1pm ET. With the vast majority of teams now adopting a “file-and-trial” approach to arbitration — that is, halting negotiations on one-year contracts once figures have been exchanged and simply going to a hearing at that point — there will be a deluge of arbitration agreements in the next 24 hours. It’s a minor deadline day in terms of newsworthiness — outside of the largest cases, at least — as few arbitration cases will have a significant impact on their team’s overall payroll picture. From a broader perspective, though, the exchange of arb figures is perhaps more notable. With most or all of their arbitration cases out of the way, teams can focus more heavily on the trade and free-agent markets.

As always, it’s interesting to refer back to MLBTR’s annual arbitration projections. Here are the day’s deals:

  • The Tigers will pay Shane Greene $4MM for the coming campaign, Murray tweets. Entering his second year of eligibility, the 30-year-old had projected at $4.8MM, owing largely to his strong tally of 32 saves. Despite appealing K/BB numbers, though, Greene finished the season with an unsightly 5.12 ERA.
  • Righty Nick Tropeano settled with the Angels at $1.075MM. (That’s also via Murray, on Twitter.) That falls well shy of his $1.6MM projection. The first-year arb-eligible hurler was not terribly effective in his 14 starts last year and has just over two hundred career frames in the big leagues, due in no small part to a long rehab owing to Tommy John surgery.

Earlier Updates

  • Newly acquired outfielder Domingo Santana will earn $1.95MM in his first season with the Mariners, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. That’s just a touch below the $2.0MM that MLBTR & Matt Swartz had projected. The 26-year-old Santana swatted thirty long balls and had a productive overall 2017 season, but only received 235 plate appearances in the ensuing campaign — over which he hit five home runs and carried a .265/.328/.412 slash — before being dealt to Seattle.
  • The Angels are on the hook for $1,901,000 to rehabbing righty J.C. Ramirez, Robert Murray of The Athletic tweets. Ramirez will receive a nominal raise on his 2018 salary after requiring Tommy John surgery after just two starts.
  • Phillies righty Hector Neris has settled at $1.8MM, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter links). He had projected at $2.0MM but will settle for a bit less in his first season of arb eligibility. Right-handed starter Jerad Eickhoff, meanwhile, is slated to receive $975K. His projected first-year salary was much higher, at $1.7MM, but Eickhoff presented a tough case since he missed virtually all of his platform season with arm troubles.
  • Southpaw Ryan Buchter has agreed with the Athletics on a $1.4MM deal, Nightengale of reports on Twitter. That lands just a smidge over his $1.3MM projection. Soon to turn 32, Buchter worked to a sub-3.00 for the third-straight season in 2018, but only threw 39 1/3 innings while working as a lefty specialist.
  • Red Sox reliever Heath Hembree will receive a $1,312,500 salary next year, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter link). Starter Steven Wright checks in just a shade higher, at $1.375MM, per Nightengale (via Twitter). Both players had projected in this range, with Swartz pegging $1.2MM for the former and $1.4MM for the latter. It’s Hembree’s first time through the process and Wright’s second.
  • First-time arb-eligible righty Scott Oberg settled with the Rockies for $1.3MM, according to Nightengale (via Twitter). It’s $100K over the projected rate for the 28-year-old hurler, who turned in far and away his most productive MLB season in 2018.
  • The Yankees have a $1.2MM deal in place with first baseman Greg Bird, Nightengale was first to tweet. Though he had projected a bit higher, at $1.5MM, Bird’s relatively robust number of home runs (31 total in 659 career plate appearances) were threatened to be overshadowed in a hypothetical hearing by his rough overall stats over the past two seasons. He’ll need to earn his way back into a larger share of playing time in 2019.
  • Infielder Travis Jankowski will earn $1.165MM with the Padres, per Murray (via Twitter). He projected at a heftier $1.4MM, but the Super Two qualifier will still earn a nice raise after his best season in the big leagues. Jankowski will be looking to crack 400 plate appearances for the first time in the season to come.
  • The Nationals have agreed to a $1MM contract with righty Joe Ross, Murray also tweets. Though Ross projected at $1.5MM for his first season of eligibility, that was based largely upon the innings he accumulated over the prior three seasons. Ross made it back from Tommy John surgery in time for only three outings in 2018.
  • A pair of backstops have also put pen to paper on new salaries. Curt Casali will earn $950K with the Reds, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). John Ryan Murphy has a $900K agreement with the Diamondbacks, the elder Nightengale tweets. Casali, a Super Two, had projected for a $1.3MM salary, while Murphy projected at $1.1MM in his first arb year.

Harper & Machado Rumors: 1/9/19

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The free agent market as a whole is moving at a plodding rate. Somewhat surprisingly, perhaps, there also hasn’t been a ton of action surrounding superstar free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Of course, with so much money at stake, perhaps it shouldn’t come as a shock that both players are taking some time to work out new deals.

The latest …

  • Heyman now indicates that Machado’s camp is looking not only for a $300MM+ offer but is still seeking a total guarantee that tops Giancarlo Stanton’s $325MM record (Twitter links). Furthermore, he adds that while there’s been no indication from the Yankees that they’re formally out of the running for Machado, New York has not yet made an offer and isn’t willing to go anywhere all that close to $300MM in order to sign Machado. Obviously, all of that can change quickly with one decision from ownership, but it’s not an encouraging update for Yankees fans hoping to see Machado in the Bronx in 2019 and beyond.

Earlier Updates

  • Machado is still looking for an offer in excess of $300MM, according to Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter link). The White Sox and Phillies are the only two teams known to have made formal proposals, neither of which have reached that value. Of course, the Philadelphia organization is reportedly set to put in another offer, the details of which remain unknown. The Yankees have also still yet to officially put anything on the table for Machado, Heyman adds.
  • Will there be significant movement? If so, when and by what mechanism? MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand hears that the markets for Machado and Harper are “heating up.” As his sources have it, the Phillies are “turning up” their efforts for the former, while the Nationals have “momentum building” to bring back the latter. Bruce Levine of 670theScore.com also cites a sense of market movement, but he hears it’s the White Sox who are gaining “momentum” on Machado. Levine also mentions a fourth, unknown potential suitor for Machado, though Heyman claims there’s “still no word” of a shadowy pursuer.
  • Generally, there’s still a dearth of hard information on the various teams’ stances regarding these players. It’s still easy to imagine the negotiations evolving in any number of different ways. Still, it’s striking that so few teams appear to be involved. The entire situation is a “disgrace,” Jim Bowden of The Athletic argues (subscription link). He ticks through a variety of ballclubs that should be able to fit $30MM+ salaries and have cause to be involved, decrying a market situation in which “essentially just four teams [are] legitimately bidding for the game’s two best free agents.” On the same note, Jonah Keri of CBS Sports provides some anonymous opinions on the matter from well-placed league executives. There seems to be at least something of a consensus that teams are less interested than ever in exceedingly lengthy contracts, even for players of such relative youth, with a variety of other theories batted around regarding this duo in particular. The story also delves into broader market topics and is well worth a read.

CC Sabathia Cleared To Resume Baseball Activities

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Veteran lefty CC Sabathia gave Yankees fans some cause for concern when he underwent an angioplasty last month, but the team announced today that followup exams of Sabathia went well. Per the Yankees’ release, Sabathia “has now been cleared to begin working out, which will include baseball activities.”

Sabathia, 38, re-signed with the Yankees on a one-year, $8MM contract early in the offseason, agreeing to return to the Bronx for what will be the final season of his illustrious career. The prognosis at the time of his procedure was reportedly “excellent,” and the quick clearance for Sabathia to resume working out and performing baseball activities speaks to that. In all likelihood, then, the left-hander should be up to speed for Spring Training and on schedule for the Opening Day roster.

Recently, the bit of uncertainty surrounding Sabathia was cited by Yankees general manager Brian Cashman as a consideration as he mulls trade offers for right-hander Sonny Gray. Cashman told reporters over the weekend that Sabathia’s situation “has given us pause,” suggesting that he’s at least considered holding Gray into the season. Of course, the Yankees have plenty of other depth options behind Luis Severino, James Paxton, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ even if Gray is traded. Domingo German, Jonathan Loaisiga, Chance Adams and Luis Cessa all started games for the Yankees last season, and lefty Jordan Montgomery could return from Tommy John surgery at some point late in the summer.

Regardless of its impact on any future Yankees maneuverings, the Sabathia update is a welcome one for the Yankees. While the former AL Cy Young winner clearly isn’t the ace he was at his peak, Sabathia has nonetheless recorded three straight seasons of sub-4.00 ERA ball with the Yankees. From 2016-18, he pitched to a 3.76 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 481 1/3 innings — with last year’s 3.65 ERA, 4.16 FIP, 8.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 all being his best marks in that three-year stretch.

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