It paid to be a pitcher on Friday, with baseball's hurlers the highest earners on the day of the deadline to exchange figures for salary arbitration. David Price, Jeff Samardzija and Stephen Strasburg were among the several players to reach settlements on Friday, thus avoiding hearings.
MLB salary arbitration roundup: David Price, Jeff Samardzija among pitchers to cash in
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Price signed with the Tigers for $19.75 million, setting a record for a one-year deal by a player who filed for salary arbitration. Former teammate Max Scherzer, now a free agent, held the previous record at $15.525 million with Detroit in 2014.
Samardzija, acquired by the White Sox in a five-player trade with Oakland in December, will pair alongside Chris Sale for a formidable duo on the mound in Chicago. After making $5.345 million with the Cubs and Athletics in 2014, Samardzija will earn $9.8 million with the White Sox in 2015, his final year before qualifying for free agency.
Strasburg, who was 14-11 in a career-high 34 starts and 215 innings, led the National League with 242 strikeouts in 2014. He will make $7.4 million in 2015, his second year of arbitration eligibility, after earning $3.975 million last year.
Orioles slugger Chris Davis also cashed in, signing a one-year, $12 million contract. Matt Wieters inked an $8.275 million pact, one of four to settle with Baltimore on Friday. Six more Orioles exchanged figures with the club, including closer Zach Britton.
Other notable deals include pitcher Mike Leake signing with the Reds for $9.775 million, closer Kenley Jansen with the Dodgers for $7.425 million, outfielder Gerardo Parra with the Brewers for $6,237,500, outfielder Josh Reddick with the Athletics for $4.1 million, and pitcher Ross Detwiler for $3,450,000 with the Rangers.
The Cardinals on Thursday avoided arbitration with pitcher Lance Lynn by signing him to a three-year contract worth $22 million.
The Padres reached agreement with all seven of their arbitration-eligible players on Friday, including three starting pitchers. Ian Kennedy will earn $9.85 million in 2015, Tyson Ross will make $5.25 million, and Andrew Cashner will make $4.05 million. Utility man Alexi Amarista got a two-year deal, worth $2.5 million.
The Rays had eight players eligible for salary arbitration and settled with all eight, including outfielder Desmond Jennings, who will make $3.1 million his first time through the arbitration process.
The Pirates had a whopping 12 players eligible for salary arbitration, and reached deals with nine of them on Friday. Starting infielders Neil Walker and Pedro Alvarez, along with pitcher Vance Worley, remain unsigned and exchanged salary figures with the club.
If a player and club can’t reach agreement, a salary arbitration hearing in front of a three-person panel in Phoenix, Ariz., will be scheduled for some time between Feb. 1-20. Teams and players are allowed to continue negotiating and may still settle before their scheduled hearings.
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