NEW YORK — The Toronto Blue Jays and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached an agreement on a one-year deal valued at $28.5 million, successfully evading a salary arbitration hearing on the same day teams and players exchanged their proposed salary figures. This contract comes as part of a broader wave of agreements, with 148 players finalizing their contracts, including Houston’s left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez, who signed for $18 million for one year.
Among the notable discussions, Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker requested the highest salary among 17 players involved in negotiations, asking for $17.5 million while receiving an offer of $15 million. Washington’s Nathaniel Lowe sought $11.1 million but was offered $10.3 million, whereas San Diego’s right-handed pitcher Michael King aimed for $8.8 million but his offer stood at $7,325,000.
Both Guerrero and Valdez are slated to become free agents after the conclusion of the World Series. Guerrero, who is the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, previously made headlines when he won a record-setting $19.9 million in a salary arbitration ruling last year. The arbitration panel selected his figure over the Blue Jays’ proposed $18.05 million.
Last year, Juan Soto made waves by agreeing to a groundbreaking $31 million deal with the New York Yankees, which eclipsed Shohei Ohtani’s $30 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels in the previous year. Soto later transitioned into free agency and signed a monumental 15-year contract worth $765 million with the New York Mets.
Various other players also secured new contracts, including San Diego infielder Luis Arraez ($14 million), right-hander Dylan Cease ($13.75 million), Arizona’s Zac Gallen ($13.5 million) and first baseman Josh Naylor ($10.9 million). Seattle outfielder Randy Arozarena received $11.3 million while Detroit’s Tarik Skubal got $10.15 million. Notably, Arraez had lost his arbitration hearing last year, resulting in a salary of $10.6 million.
Philadelphia left-handed pitcher Ranger Suárez reached an agreement for $8.8 million, while Cincinnati’s Brady Singer settled for $8.75 million. Other agreements included Baltimore outfielder Cedric Mullins ($8,725,000), Yankees closer Devin Williams ($8.6 million), and St. Louis closer Ryan Helsley ($8.2 million). Toronto outfielder Daulton Varsho and Milwaukee right-hander Aaron Civale also finalized contracts worth $8.2 million and $2 million, respectively.
For players who could not finalize agreements, arbitration hearings are on the docket, slated to take place before a trio of panelists from January 27 through February 14 in St. Petersburg, Florida. Last winter, players had a record of 9-6 in arbitration hearings, leading to a cumulative record of 353-266 in favor of teams since the arbitration process commenced in 1974. The 15 hearings have decreased from 19 the previous year, although it is an increase from the 13 hearings in 2022.
A total of 169 players were eligible for arbitration following the November deadline, which required teams to tender contracts for 2025 to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. This number shows a decline from 238 eligible players the week before.
All agreements made by arbitration-eligible players come with guaranteed contracts, but the outcomes of deals that require panel decisions do not share the same assurance. Notably, San Francisco’s J.D. Davis and New York Mets’ Phil Bickford were released after winning their arbitration cases last year. Davis pocketed $1,112,903 in termination pay instead of a $6.9 million salary, while Bickford received $217,742 instead of $900,000. Following this, Davis signed a $2.5 million contract with Oakland, and Bickford secured a deal with the Yankees worth $1.1 million while in the majors and $180,000 in the minors.
