In a recent round of salary arbitration, New York Yankees relief pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana did not favorably resolve their financial disputes with their respective teams. Leiter will receive a salary of $2.05 million this year, a decision reached by the arbitration panel consisting of Allen Ponak, Robert Herzog, and Scott Buchheit. He had originally sought $2.5 million. Similarly, Santana’s case was resolved with him being awarded $1.4 million instead of his requested $2.1 million; this decision was made by Brian Keller, Richard Bloch, and Margaret Brogan after hearing arguments earlier in the week.
So far, teams have triumphed in three of the four arbitration hearings. Another pitcher, Jovan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates, was awarded $850,000 after his arbitration decision did not go in his favor. In contrast, outfielder Mickey Moniak secured a win against the Los Angeles Angels and will earn $2 million this season. Alex Vesia of the Los Angeles Dodgers reached a one-year agreement worth $2.3 million, thereby avoiding a hearing altogether.
Leiter, who is set to celebrate his 34th birthday in March, finished last season with a record of 4-5 and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.50 across 60 relief appearances for both the Chicago Cubs and Yankees, who acquired him in late July. With the Yankees, he had a 2-1 record and a 4.98 ERA while participating in six postseason games. Last season, he earned $1.5 million. He notably took over pitching responsibilities in the seventh inning of Game 4 during the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Guardians, helping secure a 6-5 lead at a pivotal moment in the game. Despite giving up the tying hit in the eighth, he ultimately received credit for the win as the Yankees won 8-6.
In the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, Leiter managed to deliver a strong performance, pitching three scoreless innings over four games. His arbitration hearing marked a significant moment, as it was the first time a player had gone to a hearing with the Yankees since Dellin Betances did so in 2017.
Santana, who is 28 years old, pitched last season for both the Yankees and Pirates, posting a record of 3-1 and a 3.89 ERA in 62 relief appearances. Over his seven-season career, which includes time with the Dodgers, Texas, New York Mets, Yankees, and Pirates, he now has an overall record of 11-15 with a 4.76 ERA in 204 relief outings and one start.
As for Vesia, he will earn $2.25 million in the upcoming season, with his contract featuring a $3.55 million team option for the 2026 season along with a $50,000 buyout. His option price can increase by $175,000 based on his performance in 2025. Last year, Vesia showcased a strong performance with a record of 5-4 and a stellar 1.76 ERA over 67 relief appearances, holding opponents scoreless in seven postseason outings. Notably, he had requested $2.35 million while being offered $2.05 million during the salary negotiations last month.
Looking ahead, there are still five players scheduled for arbitration hearings that will continue through February 14. The players include St. Louis Cardinals’ Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar, and Andre Pallante, as well as Nathaniel Lowe from Washington and Luis Rengifo from the Angels.
