Starting pitchers David Price and Jeff Samardzija headline a formidable group of players ready to negotiate with their teams in the salary arbitration phase of the Major League Baseball offseason.
David Price, Jeff Samardzija headline 2015 salary arbitration group
Five players could earn $10 million or more in arbitration from their teams.
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Price is projected to be the highest-paid player of the bunch. The 29-year-old left-hander is entering his final season before free agency and could earn almost $19 million from the Detroit Tigers, according to MLB Trade Rumors' arbitration projections. Price owns a 3.28 ERA with 8.5 SO/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in parts of seven big league seasons.
Samardzija will likely earn about half of what Price is set to make. The fellow 29-year-old is projected to take home $9.5 million from his new club, the Chicago White Sox, after finishing 2014 with a career-best 2.99 ERA, 8.3 SO/9 and 1.8 BB/9 for the Oakland Athletics and Chicago Cubs.
Chris Davis is the lone arbitration-eligible offensive player who could earn an eight-figure salary for 2015. Davis projects to make just shy of $12 million in his return to the Baltimore Orioles following a season-ending suspension. He hit just .196/.300/.404 in 525 plate appearances prior to the ban, but his 168 OPS+ and 53 home runs in 2013 will likely give him some leverage in negotiations.
Doug Fister, Ian Kennedy and Rick Porcello round out the group of five projected to earn $10 million or more.
Fister, 30, overcame an early-season injury in 2014 to post a career-best 2.41 ERA while walking only 1.3 batters per nine innings for the Washington Nationals. He will earn an estimated $11.4 million in his final season before becoming a free agent.
Kennedy finished his age-29 season with a career-high 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings and a 3.63 ERA for the San Diego Padres. The right-handed native of California is projected to earn $10.3 million.
Porcello, who was traded to the Boston Red Sox earlier this offseason, had his best year as a big leaguer in 2014. The 26-year-old right-hander finished with a 3.43 ERA and walked a career-low 1.8 batters per nine innings while posting a 116 ERA+ for the Tigers. Boston can expect to pay Porcello in the neighborhood of $12 million in his final season under team control.
Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen, Stephen Strasburg and Matt Wieters are among others who can expect to receive hefty arbitration raises sometime within the next month. The filing deadline is Jan. 13, and teams can begin exchanging figures with players on Jan. 16.
The two sides have until Feb. 1 to agree on terms that will allow them to avoid arbitration. Hearings will take place from Feb. 1 through Feb. 20.
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