Two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal asked for a record $32 million in salary arbitration on Thursday while the Detroit Tigers offered the left-hander $19 million.
Skubal was the most prominent of the 166 players eligible for arbitration at the start of the day and was among 18 who swapped figures with their teams. Those without agreements face hearings before three-person panels from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has the highest salary in an arbitration case decided by a panel, winning at $19.9 million in 2024. Colorado third baseman Nolan Arenado submitted a record request of $30 million in 2019, then agreed to a $260 million, eight-year contract.
Juan Soto’s $31 million contract with the New York Yankees in 2024 is the largest one-year deal for an arbitration-eligible player. David Price has the highest negotiated salary in a one-year contract for an arbitration-eligible pitcher, a $19.75 million agreement with Detroit in 2015.
A two-time All-Star, the 29-year-old Skubal will be eligible for free agency after the World Series. He is 54-37 with a 3.08 ERA in six major league seasons.
Skubal was 13-6 with an AL-best 2.21 ERA in 31 starts last year, striking out 241 and walking 33 in 195 1/3 innings while earning $10.5 million. His 0.891 WHIP topped qualified pitchers.
Catcher William Contreras exchanged with Milwaukee, asking for $9.9 million as the Brewers offered $8.55 million.
Washington right-hander Cade Cavalli has the smallest gap: $900,000 vs. $825,000.
Among the 148 striking deals were Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena ($15.65 million), Cincinnati right-hander Brady Singer ($12.75 million), Baltimore outfielder Taylor Ward ($12,175,000), Philadelphia left-hander Jesus Luzardo ($11 million), Seattle right-hander Logan Gilbert ($10,927,000), Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho ($10.75 million), and New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm (both $10.2 million).
Teams went 5-4 in hearings last winter, leaving clubs with a 358-270 advantage since arbitration started in 1974.
All agreements for arbitration-eligible players are guaranteed but deals that go to panel decisions are not.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
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