Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Yankees Claim Kaleb Ort

By | at

The Yankees announced that they have claimed right-hander Kaleb Ort off waivers from the Astros. The move was reported by Yankees Never Win prior to the official announcement. Houston recently designated Ort for assignment when they signed Tatsuya Imai. The Yanks had multiple 40-man vacancies and don’t need to make a corresponding move.

Ort, 34 in February, has pitched for the Red Sox and Astros over the past five seasons. He has shown some intriguing stuff but without fully harnessing it for good results. He averages in the upper 90s with his four-seamer while also throwing a cutter, slider and changeup.

Through the end of the 2023 season, he had thrown 51 2/3 innings for the Red Sox with a 6.27 earned run average. Boston put him on waivers in October of 2023 and he bounced around the league that winter, going to the Mariners, Marlins, Phillies and Orioles via waivers or cash deals. Baltimore kept him on optional assignment early in 2024, exhausting Ort’s final option year in the process. They put him in waivers in May of that year, which is when the Astros grabbed him.

He had his best run of major league success with the Astros. After that claim, he gave Houston 22 innings with a 2.55 ERA, 28% strikeout rate and 4.3% walk rate. That impressed the Astros enough that Ort held a roster spot through 2025 despite being out of options, but he couldn’t keep the results at that level. He tossed 46 innings last year with a 4.89 ERA. His 25.3% strikeout rate was still good but he gave out free passes at a 13.9% clip. He spent most of September on the injured list due to right elbow inflammation.

For the Yankees, there’s no real harm in a waiver claim for now. As mentioned, they had multiple open roster spots. Ort still doesn’t have enough service time to have qualified for arbitration. They can bring him into camp to compete for a bullpen spot.

It’s also possible they put him back on waivers later, after they make more moves and fill out the roster. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, they could keep him in a non-roster capacity. Ort doesn’t have a previous career outright and is shy of three years of service time, meaning he doesn’t have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Photo courtesy of Thomas Shea, Imagn Images

Braves Claim George Soriano, Designate Brett Wisely For Assignment

By | at

The Braves have claimed right-hander George Soriano off waivers from the Orioles, according to announcements from both clubs. Baltimore designated him for assignment earlier this week. To open a 40-man spot, Atlanta designated infielder Brett Wisely for assignment.

Soriano, 27 in March, spent his entire career with the Marlins until recently. The Orioles claimed him off waivers in November. Baltimore loves to claim players from the wire and then put them back out there later, hoping the player clears waivers and can stay in the Orioles’ system. They recently designated Soriano for assignment when they claimed outfielder Jhonkensy Noel. They later designated Noel for assignment when they claimed Marco Luciano.

In this case, Baltimore’s attempt to get Soriano through waivers has not worked, with Atlanta scooping him up. Atlanta has surely gotten some decent looks at the righty, as he has been playing within their division. He logged 118 innings for the Marlins over the past three years, allowing 5.95 earned runs per nine. His 22% strikeout rate and 10.3% walk rate were both a bit worse than average.

Teams like Baltimore and Atlanta are likely intrigued by his minor league numbers. He tossed 42 2/3 innings in Triple-A last year with a 2.32 ERA. He struck out 28.8% of batters faced and also kept batted balls on the ground at a 55.7% rate. He also held his walk rate to a more reasonable 8.8% rate at that level.

Soriano exhausted his final option season in 2025, which has pushed him to a fringe roster area. He’s now twice been put on waivers but twice been claimed. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he loses his roster spot yet again before the winter is out. For now, he has a spot with Atlanta. He has a bit more than a year of big league service time. That means he can be controlled for five full seasons and is still two years away from qualifying for arbitration.

Wisely, 27 in May, is in a somewhat similar position. He’s an infielder and not a pitcher but he has exhausted his options, giving him a tenuous hold on a roster spot thanks to tepid big league results. The Giants designated him for assignment in September, which led to Atlanta claiming him off waivers.

In 466 big league plate appearances, he has a line of just .214/.265/.319. But over the past three years, he has a .276/.375/.436 line and 113 wRC+ at the Triple-A level. He has also racked up a bunch of stolen bases in the minors and provides defensive versatility. He has experience at all four infield spots and all three outfield slots as well.

Like Soriano, he can be affordably controlled for five more seasons if he latches on somewhere. Given his multi-positional abilities and speed, perhaps he will find interest from a club looking to deepen its bench. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, Atlanta can keep him in a non-roster capacity. He can be in DFA limbo for a week at most. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so Atlanta could take five days to field trade interest, but they could also place him on the wire quicker than that.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Dodgers Claim Ryan Fitzgerald

By | at

The Dodgers announced that they have claimed infielder Ryan Fitzgerald off waivers from the Twins. Alden González of ESPN reported the claim prior to the official announcement. Minnesota designated him for assignment a week ago when they acquired Eric Wagaman from the Marlins. The Dodgers had an open 40-man spot due to trading outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Marlins last month, which prompted the Fish to designate Wagaman for assignment.

Though the teams surely didn’t plan it this way, it works out to essentially be an accidental three-team trade over the span of a couple of weeks. The Dodgers flipped Ruiz to the Marlins in late December for minor league pitcher Adriano Marrero. Miami bumped Wagaman off their roster and then traded him to Minnesota for minor league pitcher Kade Bragg. That led to Fitzgerald getting bumped off the Minnesota roster and landing with Los Angeles.

Fitzgerald, 32 in June, just got to make his major league debut. After years grinding away in independent ball and the minor leagues, the Twins called him up to the show last year a bit before his 31st birthday. He stepped to the plate 53 times in 24 games and produced a .196/.302/.457 batting line while playing all four infield positions. He stole just one base but his sprint speed was ranked in the 79th percentile of big leaguers last year. He had a better batting line of .277/.367/.469 in Triple-A last year, though that was aided by a .349 batting average on balls in play.

The Dodgers are one of the best teams in baseball, having won the World Series in the past two seasons. They won’t need Fitzgerald to be an everyday player but his versatility is surely appealing for depth purposes, especially considering the veteran nature of their infield. Their shortstop is Mookie Betts, who is 33 years old and was an outfielder until recently. They have 35-year-old Max Muncy at third and 36-year-old Freddie Freeman at first.

Second base is fairly open, with Tommy Edman, Hyeseong Kim, Miguel Rojas and Alex Freeland in the mix there. Edman can also play the outfield and is also coming off ankle surgery. Kim can play multiple positions. Rojas is about to turn 37. Freeland is one of the club’s top prospects and has options, so perhaps he could end up getting regular playing time in the minors as opposed to holding a part-time role in the big leagues.

Since Fitzgerald can play all over and has a bit of speed, he could be an attractive bench piece. He could give the veterans the occasional day off or replace them mid-game in blowouts. His wheels could also allow him to pinch run on occasion.

Fitzgerald also has a couple of options remaining, so he could simply be stashed in the minors as depth to be on hand for when injuries arise throughout the year. He has just 65 days of big league service time, meaning he’s still being paid around the league minimum and is at least three years away from qualifying for arbitration.

Photo courtesy of Jesse Johnson, Imagn Images

Nationals Claim Paxton Schultz

By | at

The Nationals announced that they have claimed right-hander Paxton Schultz off waivers from the Blue Jays. The Jays designated the righty for assignment recently when they signed Kazuma Okamoto. The Nats opened a 40-man roster spot earlier today by releasing Sauryn Lao.

Schultz, 28, has a limited big league track record. He made his debut with the Jays in 2025, tossing 24 2/3 innings over 13 appearances. His 4.38 earned run average in that small sample wasn’t especially impressive but his 25.5% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate were both better than average. His .333 batting average on balls in play and 65.8% strand rate were both a bit to the unlucky side, which is why his 3.43 SIERA was more optimistic than his actual ERA. He averaged around 94 miles per hour with his four-seamer and sinker while also throwing a cutter, slider and changeup.

He also served a multi-inning role on the farm with fairly comparable results. He logged 49 frames over 25 Triple-A appearances last year with a 3.31 ERA. He struck out 23.6% of batters faced at that level with an 8.7% walk rate.

The Nats had the worst bullpen in the majors last year. Their relief corps had a collective 5.59 ERA for the season, last in the majors by a decent amount. The Rockies, who play in the hitters’ haven of Coors Field, were second-worst with a 5.18 ERA. Washington’s group is arguably even weaker now, as they traded Kyle Finnegan, Luis García and Andrew Chafin at the deadline and Jose A. Ferrer this offseason.

Schultz gives them a fresh arm coming off a decent season. He still has a couple of options remaining, meaning he can be sent to Triple-A and back fairly regularly. He also has less than a year of big league service time, meaning he’s still years away from arbitration and even further from free agency.

Photo courtesy of Dan Hamilton, Imagn Images

Mets Outright Ji Hwan Bae

By | at

The Mets announced that infielder/outfielder Ji Hwan Bae has been sent outright Triple-A Syracuse. When combined with the club losing Drew Romo via waivers to the White Sox, the Mets’ 40-man roster count dropped to 38 this week.

Bae, 26, has never played for the Mets. He spent his entire with the Pirates until being claimed by the Mets off waivers in November. The Mets also claimed Romo from the Orioles in December. With both players, it seems the plan was to put them back on the wire later to hopefully keep them as non-roster depth. It didn’t work with Romo but the Mets will keep Bae. This is his first career outright and he has less than three years of service time, so he doesn’t have the right to elect free agency.

He was once a notable prospect with the Bucs but he hasn’t fully delivered on that in the big leagues yet. He does have a decent floor due to some speed and defensive versatility. The offense has been good in the minors but hasn’t clicked in the majors.

The Pirates sent Bae to the plate 514 times over the past four seasons and he has produced a .223/.294/.293 line in those. But he stole 37 bases while playing both middle infield spots and all three outfield positions. In 2025, he exclusively played the outfield. In the minors, he stepped the plate 1,152 times from 2022 to 2025 with a .306/.390/.451 line and 126 wRC+.

Now that he has cleared waivers, the Mets can keep him around without him taking up a roster spot. If he earns his way back onto the roster at some point, he still has an option and less than two years of service time, meaning he can provide roster flexibility and years of affordable control. The Mets now have a couple of open roster spots to use for whatever they end up doing in the remainder of the offseason.

Photo courtesy of Daniel Kucin Jr., Imagn Images

Nine Teams Terminate Contracts With Main Street Sports

By | at

The nine MLB teams who had contracts with Main Street Sports have terminated those contracts with the company. It’s possible that some of them eventually work out new deals with the broadcaster, which operates channels under the FanDuel Sports Network banner. The teams are the Braves, Reds, Tigers, Royals, Angels, Marlins, Brewers, Cardinals and Rays. Talks between the company and the teams are ongoing. Various elements of this developing story were reported by Evan Drellich of The Athletic, Alden González of ESPN, Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, Tom Friend of the Sports Business Journal and Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.

The issue is due to the poor financial state of the company. They have recently missed payments to several teams, including the Cardinals and Marlins, but possibly others. The nine teams have cut ties with the company for now to keep them away from potential bankruptcy proceedings and explore other options, but it’s possible some teams will eventually sign new pacts with the company. Main Street is trying to find a buyer, though the reporting indicates talks with DAZN have fizzled out. Fubo TV might have stepped into the bidding but there are conflicting reports about that.

This is just the latest chapter in a saga that goes back quite a while, with cord cutting and streaming having chipped away the regional sports network (RSN) model. The company was previously known as Diamond Sports Group with channels marketed as Bally Sports. Going into 2023, 14 MLB clubs and many teams in other sports leagues had RSN deals with the company. But trouble emerged early that year when the company missed some payments. They filed for bankruptcy in March of 2023.

The company eventually emerged from bankruptcy in November of 2024 and then rebranded. Along the way, many of their deals with MLB clubs fell apart. In some cases, new deals were worked out. In other cases, the league took over broadcasting duties. The Rangers went a different route and launched their own RSN. Coming into 2026, Main Street has 29 deals with teams across MLB, the NBA and NHL.

The path of MLB handling the broadcasts will be available for all the clubs involved here. “No matter what happens, whether it’s Main Street, a third party or MLB media, fans are going to have the games,” commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday, per Blum.

The MLB path is largely inconsequential for fans. If anything, it’s a better arrangement. MLB still puts the games on cable. For cord-cutters, they have the option of streaming the club by paying the league directly, with no local blackouts.

For the teams, however, it’s not a great situation. RSN deals have been a big source of revenue over the years. The bankruptcy of Diamond/Main Street put many of them in a tough position. Renegotiating with the company meant accepting lower fees than they had been receiving on their previous deals. Going with MLB would allow them to potentially reach more fans but the revenue in that path is both lesser and not guaranteed, as the money is contingent on how many people sign up to stream.

MLB handled the broadcasts of five clubs in 2025: the Padres, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Twins and Guardians. It was reported in September that the Mariners would go down this route in 2026. This week’s reporting suggests the Nationals will likely leave MASN and join with the league as well.

In the cases of at least a few of these teams, the situation seems to had on-field implications by reducing the club’s spending capacity when it comes to player payroll. The Padres and Twins, for instance, have been trying to strike a delicate balance of staying in contention while having less to spend on players than the front office may have once anticipated.

That’s obviously a disadvantage compared to some big-market clubs, many of whom are co-owners in RSNs which are relatively healthy in larger population areas. In July of 2024, it was reported that the league and the MLB Players Association had agreed to redirect some competitive balance tax money to teams impacted by the television situation. This week’s reporting indicates that arrangement was for 2024 alone. There was no such deal in place for 2025 and there’s currently nothing lined up for 2026 either.

“The clubs have control over the timing,” Manfred said this week. “They can make a decision to move to MLB Media because of the contractual status now. I think that what’s happening right now clubs are evaluating their alternatives. Obviously they’ve made significant payroll commitments already and they’re evaluating the alternatives to find the best revenue source for the year and the best outlet in terms of providing quality broadcasts to their fans.”

With this situation and other disruptive developments in terms of MLB’s broadcast landscape, the league’s preference has been to not sign any new contracts that go beyond the 2028 season. It has been reported that many of MLB’s broadcast deals expire after that season. Manfred hopes to put together a league-wide streaming service with no blackouts and/or have a big auction of rights to various games, with multiple broadcasters bidding against each other.

A mini version of this happened recently when MLB’s deal with ESPN fell apart. The league then split up ESPN’s previous package, selling some of it back to ESPN along with other elements. Netflix bought the rights to Opening Day, the Home Run Derby and some other special events. NBC/Peacock bought Sunday Night Baseball and the Wild Card round from 2026 to 2028, as well as other events. ESPN acquired the local rights for the Padres, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Guardians and Twins as part of their new deal.

All of this figures to hang over the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations. The current CBA expires after the 2026 season. Another lockout, like the one in 2021-22, is widely expected. Manfred has essentially admitted that one will occur by speaking positively about the lockout process.

Whether that lockout extends long enough to cancel games in 2027 remains to be seen. The players and the union are already concerned by a lack of spending from some clubs and the RSN situation will likely only exacerbate that. Some of the impacted clubs would likely welcome more revenue sharing but the bigger clubs wouldn’t be as keen on that. The owners are expected to push for a salary cap but the players are strongly opposed to that.

Manfred has made plenty of unpopular moves in his time as commissioner but he can currently point to a legacy that includes no games missed due to labor strife. Baseball’s popularity is also on the rise, despite the aforementioned TV disruption. Game Seven of the 2025 World Series was the most-watched game around the world since 1991. The uptick in ratings and attendance has been attributed by many to recent rule changes, particularly the pitch clock.

Disrupting the 2027 season would impact that legacy and also cut into baseball’s recent surge, which would be inopportune timing with the aforementioned future broadcast plans. Manfred is signed through 2029 and does not plan to seek another term after that.

Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy, Imagn Images

Diamondbacks Will Reportedly Not Trade Ketel Marte

By | at

Second baseman Ketel Marte has been in trade rumors all winter but is going to stay in Arizona. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that Marte will not be traded. Marte will therefore open the season at the keystone with the Diamondbacks.

This always seemed to be the most likely outcome. Very early in the offseason, general manager Mike Hazen said that other teams would call about Marte and he would listen to their offers but he considered it unlikely that anything would come together.

It’s perfectly understandable why teams would try, as Marte is one of the better players in the game today. Over the past three years, he’s hit 89 home runs. His 11.2% walk rate and 16.7% strikeout rate are both strong figures. His combined line of .283/.368/.519 translates to a 140 wRC+, one of the ten best figures among qualified hitters for that span.

On top of the performance, his contract is team-friendly, relatively speaking. He is owed $102.5MM over the next six seasons, barely over $17MM per year. That’s a decent chunk of change but many other superstar players make between $30 to $50MM annually, which makes the Marte deal a bargain.

That makes him incredibly valuable for the Diamondbacks but there were still reasons to think they might be open to a deal. For one, Marte is on the cusp of ten-and-five rights. A player gets full no-trade protection when they have ten years of service time and have spent the past five seasons with the same club. Marte has been with the Diamondbacks for nine years and is just ten days away from hitting the ten-year service mark. His current deal only allows him to block deals to five clubs. If there was a time for the Snakes to trade Marte, it would be now, as it will be harder in the future.

On top of that, Arizona needs pitching and appears to have a tight budget. There was also some reported clubhouse discord during the 2025 season, as some fellow Snakes appeared disgruntled at Marte’s penchant for missing games. Put it all together and it was at least possible to see the Diamondbacks going down a path where they traded Marte for pitching, while also freeing up some cash for other pursuits, such as their reported interest in Alex Bregman.

Regardless, Hazen would downplay the possibility whenever asked, highlighting that Marte is one of the club’s best players and a key part of their plans to contend. Though he dutifully listened to other clubs, he said a little over a week ago that the club would have to shut the door at some point in order to narrow their focus on building out the 2026 roster. It seems that they never got an offer they considered viable and have officially taken Marte off the market.

Though this is a story about the lack of a move, there are sure to be ripple effects regardless. Teams such as the Pirates, Giants, Mariners, Rays, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Tigers all reportedly showed some degree of interest in Marte this offseason. Those clubs will have pivot to other options, if they haven’t already. Bregman and Bo Bichette are prominent free agent infielders and some of those clubs have been connected to one or both of that duo. Others could perhaps intensify their pursuits of Brendan Donovan, who is still with the Cardinals.

It also likely removes one suitor from Bregman’s market, as Arizona’s interest in him seemed contingent on them also lining up a Marte trade. Rosenthal reports that it’s still somewhat possible for Arizona to pursue Bregman but not probable. That’s not great for Bregman but the flip side is that a team such as the the Red Sox, who were prominently tied to Marte, might now have to more seriously consider Bregman.

As for the Diamondbacks, they could still use some more pitching, some help in the outfield and/or at first base. With Marte staying put, they are presumably more likely to go after free agents in the coming weeks. RosterResource projects them for a payroll about $20MM below where they finished last year. They are expected to scale back a bit but it’s unclear exactly how much dry powder they have for making additions.

Photo courtesy of Denis Poroy, Imagn Images

Nationals Release Sauryn Lao To Pursue Opportunity In Japan

By | at

The Nationals announced today that right-hander Sauryn Lao has been released to pursue an opportunity in Japan. The club’s 40-man roster count drops to 39. Mike Rodriguez reported last month that Lao had agreed to a deal with the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. Per Rodriguez, that deal is for one guaranteed year with a club option for 2027 and could end up paying more than $3MM.

Lao, 26, landed with the Nats via waivers in September. He had made his major league debut with the Mariners earlier in 2025. Between the two clubs, he tossed 11 innings, allowing six earned runs while striking out nine opponents.

He began his professional career as an international signing of the Dodgers back in 2015. Initially an infielder, he couldn’t hit enough to get beyond the High-A level, so the Dodgers put him on the mound in 2023. He showed some encouraging results for a couple of years but didn’t get a roster spot. He became a minor league free agent after 2024 and landed a minor league deal with the Mariners.

His track record in the majors is obviously still quite limited but his results in the minors have been good. He tossed 74 2/3 Triple-A innings last year over 25 appearances. 19 of those were technically starts, though mostly in the range of two to four innings. He allowed 3.01 earned runs per nine with a 24.7% strikeout rate and 6.9% walk rate, both solid figures.

Despite the solid numbers, his path to regular big league playing time would have been a bit challenging. He has two option years, meaning he could be sent to the minors regularly for another two years. Even if he carved out a regular role in the bigs, he only has 24 days of big league service time, meaning he would be three years away from an arbitration raise.

Taking the opportunity to go overseas gives him a better chance to pitch on a big stage and bank some notable earnings in the next few years. Since he’s still in his mid-20s, perhaps he can try to return to North American ball in a few years if he has some success overseas.

For the Nats, they are losing an arm they liked enough to grab from the waiver wire. However, clubs generally don’t stand in the way of players pursuing such opportunities in other leagues. The front office has also been overhauled since the claim of Lao, so it’s entirely possible the new regime was less attached to him than the previous one. The Nats will likely receive a nominal release fee from the Fighters.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

The Opener: Skubal, Bellinger, Red Sox

By | at

Here are three things around the baseball world to keep an eye on headed into the weekend:

1. Will Skubal go to a hearing?

The Tigers and reigning AL Cy Young award winner Tarik Skubal made waves yesterday when they failed to reach an agreement to avoid arbitration prior to the filing deadline. The sides filed at a record-breaking $13MM apart, with the Tigers putting forward a $19MM filing figure while Skubal’s camp countered at $32MM. If the sides end up going to a trial, it would be one of the most impactful decisions ever made at the league’s arbitration hearings. The current record for a pitcher’s salary in arbitration is held by David Price and sits at just $19.75MM. A victory in this case for Skubal would utterly shatter that record, and it’s not hard to see why he might deserve that sort of price tag given his incredible back-to-back Cy Young award winning seasons the past two years. Of course, arbitration hearings don’t begin until the end of the month. That means it’s entirely possible the sides could reach an agreement to avoid arbitration before the hearing, although the “file-and-trial” approach most teams have taken to arbitration in recent years suggests that could be unlikely.

2. What’s next for Bellinger, Yankees?

A reunion between Cody Bellinger and the Yankees has long appeared to be the most likely outcome for the two sides this offseason. That might still be the case, but the two camps appear to be at an impasse for the time being. Reporting has indicated that New York put forward an offer to Bellinger with an average annual value in excess of $30MM, but that the sides remain apart in terms of contract length. That’s an extremely hefty annual salary, and beats the $28MM AAV (on a five year deal guaranteeing $140MM) MLBTR predicted for Bellinger at the outset of the offseason by a healthy margin. With that being said, the length of that contract offer is not yet known and could significant alter the overall value of that contract. A four-year deal with an AAV in the range of even $32MM would fall short of the total guarantee MLBTR projected, after all.

In any case, Bellinger seems to be prioritizing length with his next contract after signing short-term deals in his last two forays through free agency. The outfielder is reportedly seeking a seven-year contract, and that’s seemingly led both sides to evaluate other options. The Cubs are a surprising recent entrant into the Bellinger sweepstakes, while the Yankees could realistically pivot to another big bat on the market like Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette. Will the sides split up over this gap in negotiations, or will they find a way to bridge it in the coming days and weeks?

3. Red Sox to host Fenway Fest:

January marks the start of Fan Fest season around the league, where teams hold fan conventions and celebrations in advance of the coming season. The first team to do so this year is the Red Sox, who will host their annual Fenway Fest tomorrow. The event runs from 9am to 6pm local time at Fenway Park, and tickets include access to autograph and photo sessions with players and alumni, a handful of panel discussions, and giveaways. Players and alumni in attendance will include Pedro Martinez, Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Roman Anthony, Aroldis Chapman, Marcelo Mayer, and Ceddanne Rafaela. A full list of players, alumni, and coaches in attendance can be found here alongside further details about the day’s festivities.

Tigers, Tarik Skubal Likely Headed To Arbitration Hearing With $13MM Gap In Filing Figures

By | at

The Tigers did not reach agreement with two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal on a deal to avoid arbitration this evening. They’re now likely headed for what would be the most significant hearing in memory. That’s due to an astronomical $13MM gap in the sides’ respective filing figures.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Skubal is seeking a $32MM salary, while the Tigers filed at $19MM. The sides are free to continue negotiations right up to the hearing time, but teams typically adopt a “file-and-trial” approach and cease talks on one-year deals after figures are exchanged. If it gets to a hearing, an arbitrator can only choose either Skubal’s number or the team’s. Arbitrators are not permitted to land on a middle ground, so the result would be very consequential.

If it gets to a hearing, Skubal will be shooting for the largest arbitration salary ever. That record is held by Juan Soto, who settled on a $31MM deal with the Yankees in his final year before free agency. Shohei Ohtani and the Angels agreed to a $30MM deal in his final year of arbitration eligibility. They’re the only two players to reach that benchmark. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed the loftiest deal in last winter’s class; he landed at $28.5MM.

While Skubal’s filing figure isn’t markedly above those of recent superstars, it would shatter the benchmark for pitchers. The arbitration process hasn’t rewarded high-end arms as handsomely as it does impact bats. In fact, no arb-eligible pitcher has commanded even $20MM. David Price still holds the record with a $19.75MM salary from back in 2015.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote about the potential for an historically significant hearing when examining Skubal’s arbitration case this morning. As Passan pointed out, the collective bargaining agreement allows players who are one year away from free agency to compare themselves not only to past arbitration precedents, but to free agents as well. There’s ample precedent for free agent pitchers commanding upwards of $30MM annually, with some late-career aces pulling more than $40MM per season on short-term deals. That provision hasn’t actually moved the market for arb-eligible pitchers forward to this point, however, and the aforementioned massive salaries for Soto, Ohtani and Guerrero were all agreed upon without a hearing.

The Tigers’ filing figure aligns with arbitration’s historical precedent against pitchers. It’s also much more aligned with the usual year-over-year escalating salaries associated with the process. Skubal received a $10.15MM salary last year. The largest yearly jump for a pitcher is held by Jacob deGrom, who earned a $9.6MM raise after winning his first career Cy Young in 2018. Detroit’s figure would give Skubal an $8.85MM boost after his second consecutive Cy Young award.

To a large extent, this serves as a test case for the arbitration process itself. That Price still holds the record for a pitcher shows how much the system has lagged when it comes to valuing arms (particularly in comparison to the escalating free agent prices for starters). Skubal and his representatives at the Boras Corporation are aiming to blow that wide open. That’d obviously be significant for the southpaw himself but would also go a long way toward raising the earning ceiling for future arms.

There’s no guarantee that this actually gets to a hearing. Player and team would have a lot of money at stake if it does, and they’d each avoid the unpredictability of relying on the arbitrators if they settle on a deal in the mid-$20MM range. However, this kind of situation is precisely why teams prefer the file-and-trial approach. That’s designed to prevent the player from filing well above their expected value to anchor future talks from a higher baseline. Refusing to continue negotiating after numbers are exchanged prevents that situation. If the player files very high, the club feels good about its chances of winning a lower than expected number at the hearing.

It all makes sense in theory, but the stakes of a potential hearing in this case are higher than any in team history. They’d need to operate for the next month or so with a $13MM range in their payroll projection, which could hinder short-term free agent or trade activity. Skubal is one year from free agency and trending towards the largest pitching contract ever. If the Tigers feel they have any chance to re-sign him, they may not want to run the risk of an inherently adversarial hearing.

There’d also be ramifications if they put him on the trade market — either before Opening Day or, far more likely, if they fall out of contention before the deadline. One year of Skubal would have immense trade value regardless of his salary, but he’d be much more appealing to other clubs on a $19MM sum than he would at $32MM.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top