ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — In a recent arbitration decision, Mickey Moniak triumphed over the Los Angeles Angels, as the outfielder secured a salary increase to $2 million, compared to the team’s proposed $1.5 million.
This decision came from an arbitration panel consisting of Melinda Gordon, Samantha Tower, and John Woods, who rendered the verdict just one day after hearing both parties’ arguments.
In a noteworthy occurrence, Mark Leiter Jr. participated in salary arbitration with the New York Yankees, marking the first time a player has gone to a hearing with the team since pitcher Dellin Betances faced a similar situation in 2017.
Leiter had requested a salary of $2.5 million, while the Yankees countered with an offer of $2.05 million, presided over by arbitrators Allen Ponak, Robert Herzog, and Scott Buchheit.
The outcome for Leiter will be announced after the decision regarding Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Vesia, and it will be revealed simultaneously with the ruling for Pittsburgh pitcher Dennis Santana.
On a positive note, San Diego pitcher Michael King managed to avoid arbitration by finalizing a one-year deal worth $7.75 million.
Similarly, Milwaukee catcher William Contreras reached a settlement as well, agreeing to a guaranteed deal of $6.1 million.
For his part, Moniak had a decent performance last season, hitting .219 with 14 home runs and achieving a career-high of 49 RBIs.
He was entering arbitration for the first time following a previous salary of $770,000.
Currently, six other players are set to go through the arbitration hearing process, which will extend until February 14.
Among those is Angels first baseman and second baseman Luis Rengifo, who has requested a salary of $5.95 million while the Angels have offered $5.8 million.
Meanwhile, right-hander Jovan Oviedo became the first player of the year to lose in salary arbitration, as he settled for $850,000 instead of his request for $1.15 million against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Mark Leiter, who will celebrate his 34th birthday in March, registered a record of 4-5 with a 4.50 ERA over 60 relief outings split between the Chicago Cubs and the Yankees, who obtained him on July 30.
With the Yankees, he went 2-1 with a 4.98 ERA and made six appearances during the postseason.
Leiter had previously earned a salary of $1.5 million.
In the postseason, he notably replaced Clay Holmes in the seventh inning of Game 4 against Cleveland, successfully maintaining a 6-5 lead by retiring Jhonkensy Noel and striking out Andrés Giménez.
Although he allowed a tying single to David Fry in the eighth, the Yankees ultimately clinched an 8-6 victory.
Additionally, Leiter pitched three scoreless innings in four games of the World Series against the Dodgers.
Besides Vesia and Rengifo, other players who still have hearings lined up include Washington Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe and three from the St. Louis Cardinals: outfielder/infielder Brendan Donovan, outfielder Lars Nootbaar, and right-hander Andre Pallante.
