Here are three things from around the world of baseball to watch this weekend:
1. Will Skubal go to the hearing?
The Tigers and the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal made waves yesterday when they failed to reach an agreement to avoid settlement before the filing deadline. The sides filed a record-breaking $13MM separately, with the Tigers putting forward a $19MM fill-in figure while Skubal’s camp accounted for $32MM. If the sides eventually go to trial, it could be one of the most impactful decisions ever made in league arbitration. The current record for a pitcher’s salary in relief is held by David Price and it sits at just $19.75MM. A win in this case for Skubal would completely shatter that record, and it’s not hard to see why he might deserve that kind of tag given his incredible Cy Young award-winning seasons the past two years. Of course, the arbitration hearing doesn’t start until the end of the month. That means it’s possible the parties could reach an agreement to avoid settlement before trial, although the “file and trial” approach many parties have taken to arbitration in recent years suggests that may not be possible.
2. What’s next for Bellinger, Yankees?
Meeting in between Cody Bellinger and the Yankees have long been seen as the most likely outcome of both sides this offseason. That may still happen, but the two camps seem to be in turmoil at the moment. Reports indicated that New York sent Bellinger an average annual salary of more than $30MM, but the sides remain at odds over the length of the contract. That’s an extremely cheap annual salary, and it beats the $28MM AAV (with a five-year deal that guarantees $140MM) MLBTR predicted for Bellinger at the start of the offseason by a healthy margin. That being said, the length of that contract offer is unknown and could significantly change the total value of that contract. A four-year deal with AAV in the $32MM range could come up to MLBTR’s proposed total guaranteed rate, after all.
Either way, Bellinger appears to be prioritizing length with his next contract after signing short-term deals in his last two free agency contests. The player reportedly wants a seven-year contract, and that seems to have led both sides to consider other options. The Cubs just entered the Bellinger sweepstakes, while the Yankees could turn to another big bat on the market like. Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette. Will the parties split over this gap in negotiations, or will they find a way to close it in the coming days and weeks?
3. The Red Sox will host Fenway Fest:
January marks the start of Fan Fest season across the league, where teams host fan conferences and celebrations ahead of the upcoming season. The first team to do so this year is the Red Sox, who will host their annual Fenway Fest tomorrow. The event runs from 9am to 6pm local time at Fenway Park, and tickets include access to autograph and photo sessions with players and students, several panel discussions, and giveaways. Players and alumni in attendance will include Pedro Martinez, Wade Boggs, Carlton Fisk, Roman Anthony, Aroldis Chapman, Marcelo Mayeragain Ceddanne Rafaela. A full list of players, alumni, and coaches in attendance can be found here along with more details about the day’s festivities.
