While the Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to make a splash in free agency, Friday was another notable date during the offseason as it was the deadline to tender a contract to arbitration-eligible players.
There initially were 13 Dodgers eligible for arbitration for the 2024 season, but Wander Suero elected free agency earlier in the offseason.
As was widely expected, the Dodgers tendered a contract to all of their players who are eligible for arbitration.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Dodgers followed that by agreeing to a one-year contract with Yency Almonte for the 2024 season:
Yency Almonte signs Dodgers deal for $1.9M for 2024
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 18, 2023
MLB Trade Rumors projected Almonte would receive a $1.9 million salary for the 2024 season. He was arbitration-eligible for the second time in his career.
After becoming a key member of the Dodgers bullpen in 2022, Almonte labored through an inconsistent year and eventually landed on the 15-day injured list because of a right knee sprain.
There was hope Almonte would return in time for the postseason, but his projected return slipped further into October and was going to require the Dodgers to advance to the National League Championship Series.
Despite the knee injury that prevented Almonte from pitching after the middle of August, he still appeared in a career-high 49 games during the 2023 season.
Almonte went 3-2 with a 5.06 ERA and 1.40 WHIP.
Dodgers arbitration outlook
Next for the Dodgers is avoiding arbitration with Walker Buehler, Caleb Ferguson, J.P. Feyereisen, Victor González, Brusdar Graterol, Gavin Lux, Dustin May, Evan Phillips, Will Smith, Alex Vesia and Ryan Yarbrough.
The Dodgers will continue to discuss a new contract with each, and if they have not agreed on a salary by the January 12 deadline, the team and player exchange figures for the upcoming season.
If necessary, arbitration hearings will be held from January 29-February 16. After listening to arguments from both parties, a three-person panel selects the figure of either the player or team, but not one in between, as the salary for the upcoming season.
Teams can continue negotiating contract terms beyond the deadline, but Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman historically has operated under a file and trial approach.
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