January 10, 2020 marked an important day in baseball’s offseason calendar. Teams and Clubs exchange desired figures for the 2020 season – a process defined by the CBA as salary arbitration.
Although Teams and Clubs, more often than not, reach a settlement on salary negotiations, there is the occasion where both parties cannot agree on a salary and a Player’s call will advance to a neutral arbitration panel, where the decision of the arbitrators is final and binding among all parties. There is no right of appeal or other means once the arbitrator has reached a decision. Therefore, it is often in both parties interest to reach a settlement prior to.
According to ESPN report Jeff Passan, only 20 cases will reach the arbitration panel next month, with a majority of cases settling beforehand.
Passan also broke down the agencies that will advance to a hearing on behalf of their clients, which you can find below.
However, it is worth nothing some of the more notable Teams and Clubs that were able to reach a settlement and agree to salary figures for the 2020 season. Some highlights below as reported by MLB Trade Rumors’ Arbitration Tracker:
- Mookie Betts – Boston Red Sox (Agency: VC Sports Group): $27,000,000.00
- Kris Bryant – Chicago Cubs (Agency: The Boras Corporation): $18,600,000.00
- Francisco Lindor – Cleveland Indians (Agency: SportsMeter): $17,500,000.00
- Marcus Semien – Oakland Athletics (Agency: Wasserman): $13,000,000.00
- Marcus Stroman – New York Mets (Agency: GSE Worldwide): $12,000,000.00
Some of the more notable players advancing to an arbitration hearing, which will take place throughout the month of February are as follows:
- J. T. Realmuto – Philadelphia Phillies (Agency: BBI Sports Group)
Realmuto submitted a salary figure of $12,400,000.00 while the Phillies submitted a desired figure of $10,000,000.00.
- Joc Pederson – Los Angeles Dodgers (Agency: Excel Sports Management)
Pederson submitted a salary figure of $9,500,000.00 while the Dodgers submitted a desired figured of $7,750,000.00.
- Trevor Story – Colorado Rockies (Agency: Excel Sports Management)
Story submitted a figure of $11,500,000.00 while the Rockies submitted $10,750,000.00.