Image Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

MLB arbitration: A look at players who could be headed to arbitration hearing

Several players reached agreements on the salary arbitration filing deadline day, while others are set to go to arbitration hearings.

Image Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

Thursday marked the deadline for salary arbitration filings in the MLB. Teams had until 8 p.m. ET to submit their arbitration figures, with a soft deadline at 1 p.m. ET for any contract agreements. As the clock ticked down, several players reached agreements, while others are still set to head to arbitration hearings.

What is arbitration in MLB?

Arbitration in MLB is a process that allows players with less than six years of service time to negotiate salary with their teams. Players and teams submit their proposed salaries, and if they can’t agree, an independent arbiter hears both sides and makes a final decision on the player’s salary for the upcoming season.

Also Read: Dodgers sign Hye-seong Kim to $12.5M deal as roster takes shape with Teoscar Hernández addition

Who is eligible for arbitration?

Players are eligible for arbitration if they have between three and six years of service time in the MLB. Some players with “Super 2” status – those who are in the top 22% of players with between two and three years of service time – can also become arbitration eligible.

Players who settled

Several players avoided arbitration by reaching agreements before Thursday’s filing deadline:

Chicago White Sox agreed to terms with all their arbitration-eligible players for 2025.

pic.twitter.com/jZeZRSX3aA
— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) January 9, 2025

New York Mets also settled one-year contracts with all six of their arbitration-eligible players.

RHP Paul Blackburn
RHP Tylor Megill
LHP David Peterson
OF Jose Siri
OF Tyrone Taylor
C Luis Torrens

Texas Rangers came to terms with both remaining their arbitration-eligible players

C Jonah Heim: $4.575 million
OF Leody Taveras: $4.75 million

The San Diego Padres agreed contracts with five of their six arbitration-eligible players.

INF Luis Arraez: $14 million
SP Dylan Cease: $13.75 million
RP Jason Adam: $4.8 million
P Adrián Morejón: $2 million
C Luis Campusano: $1 million

Toronto Blue Jays and Vlad Guerrero Jr. settled for $28.5 million to avoid arbitration hearing.

Other notable players who reached agreements include:

Framber Valdez (Astros): $18 million
Zac Gallen (Diamondbacks): $13.5 million
Randy Arozarena (Mariners): $11.3 million
Josh Naylor (Diamondbacks): $10.9 million
Tarik Skubal (Tigers): $10.15 million
Aaron Civale (Brewers): $8 million
Ranger Suarez (Phillies): $8.8 million
Cedric Mullins (Orioles): $8.725 million
Brady Singer (Reds): $8.75 million
Ryan Helsley (Cardinals): $8.2 million
Daulton Varsho (Blue Jays): $8.2 million
Devin Williams (Yankees): $8.6 million
Lane Thomas (Guardians): $7.826 million
Taylor Ward (Angels): $7.825 million
Alec Bohm (Phillies): $7.7 million
Logan Gilbert (Mariners): $7.65 million
Nestor Cortes (Brewers): $7.6 million

Players who could head to arbitration hearing

While many players settled their salaries, several are still set to go to arbitration hearings after failing to reach an agreement.

Mark Leiter Jr. and the Yankees could not agree on a salary for 2025 and will file for a hearing. Milwaukee Brewers William Contreras and the Brewers couldn’t come to terms and are potentially heading to arbitration hearing.

The Cubs and newly acquired OF Kyle Tucker were unable to agree on a salary for 2025. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Alex Vesia didn’t agree to terms, resulting in a hearing.

Vesia filed for $2.35 million, while the Dodgers submitted $2.05 million. Vesia is the only arb-eligible player the Dodgers haven’t settled with.

Meanwhile, San Diego Padres and Michael King also failed to reach an agreement before the 10 a.m. PT deadline. King and the Padres could be headed to arbitration for the first time since 2014.

Alex Vesia

Los Angeles Dodgers

Michael King

New York Mets

Swati Bhatia

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I work as a content strategist, specializing in creating engaging content about the NBA, WNBA, and MLB. My main focus is on writing breaking news updates, research-based articles, and covering trending topics. Right now, I’m leading the content team for the NBA, WNBA, and MLB categories at Playoffs English.