SCOTTSDALE.- Baltimore outfielder Austin Hays, Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward and the Honduran utility man of the Houston Astros, Mauricio Dubón, won their salary arbitration cases on Tuesday, giving the players a 3-2 advantage, although 13 cases remain pending.
Hayes will receive the $6.3 million he requested, compared to the $5.85 million the Orioles proposed. Brian Keller, Allen Ponak and Jasbir Parmer made the decision in favor of Hays after hearing his arguments on January 30. Hays, 28, hit .275 with 16 home runs and 67 RBIs last year to earn $3.2 million. The 2023 All-Star is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.
Ward asked for $4.8 million compared to the $4.3 million the team offered. The case was decided by Jeanne Vonhof, Margaret Brogan and Parmer, who held the hearing Friday. Ward, 30, hit .253 last year, with 14 home runs and 47 RBIs, his production dropped from .281, with 23 home runs and 65 RBIs in 2022. His season came to an end on July 29 after receiving a hit to the head with a fastball from Alek Manoah that caused facial fractures.
Key acquisition for Houston:
Dubón won his case for $3.5 million over the team’s $3 million offer. The Gold Glove winner had his hearing on Monday in front of John Woods, Jeanne Charles and Janice Johnston. Dubón, 29, hit .278, with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs in his first full season with Houston, which acquired him from San Francisco in May 2022.
The cases of relievers Jacob Webb of Baltimore and Phil Bickford of the New York Mets were expected to be decided later. Webb asked for one million dollars against the team’s 925,000 and Bickford 900,000 against the club’s 815,000.
The teams won the first two decisions of the year against Miami outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. ($2,625,000 vs. 2.9 million he asked for) and Venezuelan José Suárez of the Los Angeles Angels (925,000 instead of 1 ,35 millions).
Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the highest-profile player, asking $19.9 million, but the Blue Jays are offering $18.05 million. If they do not reach an agreement, it will be the highest salary awarded through arbitration, surpassing the 14 million of Seattle’s Dominican outfielder, Teoscar Hernández, who lost his hearing last year.
Source: AP
