Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
Hello and welcome to arbitration agreement deadline day, where the Dodgers attempt to avoid heading to arbitration with their eligible players. They’ve done that with six of their seven players, but Alex Vesia is currently still in the wind.
Let’s take a look at how everything turned out.
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After the World Series (victory) last year, the Dodgers’ roster had nine arbitration-eligible players — as noted by Dustin’s roster reset — but only seven players of those are still on the team. Connor Brogdon cleared waivers and was outrighted to the minors, but elected free agency instead, and of course Gavin Lux was recently traded to the Reds. Additionally, pitchers Tony Gonsolin ($5.4 million) and Dustin May ($2.135 million) had already agreed on contracts to avoid arbitration in their final year of eligibility. That was likely made easier by the fact that they both missed all of 2024 and will thus just make what they did last year.
So that left five players to go, and according to MLB Trade Rumors, these are the salaries they were projected to get:
RHP Michael Kopech (Arb3, $5.2 million)
RHP Brusdar Graterol (Arb 3, $2.7 million)
RHP Evan Phillips (Arb 3, $6.2 million)
LHP Alex Vesia (Arb 2, $1.9 million)
LHP Anthony Banda (Arb 1, $1.1 million)
Generally you want to avoid any drama compared to haggling over six figures and risk pissing off a player for no reason.
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Anyway, starting things off was Evan Phillips going for $6.1 million, a bit less than his $6.2 million projection.
The Dodgers and Evan Phillips have agreed to a $6.1 million contract for next year to avoid arbitration, per source
— Jack Harris (@ByJackHarris) January 9, 2025
Next was Michael Kopech going for $5.2 million, exactly at his $5.2 million projection.
Source confirms: Dodgers, Michael Kopech settled at $5.2 million to avoid arbitration. @JonHeyman on it.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 9, 2025
Rounding out the third-year eligibles was Brusdar Graterol going for $2.8 million, a little over his $2.7 million projection.
Source: Dodgers, Brusdar Graterol settled at $2.8 million to avoid arbitration.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 9, 2025
In his second year, Alex Vesia is asking for $2.35 million while the Dodgers offered $2.05 million, both figures are above his $1.9 million projection.
Source: The Dodgers and Alex Vesia didn’t come to an agreement today to avoid an arbitration hearing.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 10, 2025
Vesia filed at $2.35 million, the Dodgers at $2.05 million.
Vesia is the only arb-eligible player the Dodgers haven’t come to an agreement with.
To me, that looks like the Dodgers likely win, but I’d rather not have them go through that.
Instead, here’s a solution.
Pay him double what he's asking in exchange for some of his blood and make the most powerful energy supplement known to man.
— Chad Moriyama (@ChadMoriyama) January 10, 2025
Finally, there’s mid-season pickup and new heartthrob Anthony Banda going for $1 million, less than his $1.1 million projection.
Source: Dodgers, Anthony Banda settled at $1 million to avoid arbitration.
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) January 9, 2025
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Not that it really matters at this point considering their CBT number is already over the last threshold, but the Dodgers saved $100,000 over projections with these deals. Basically everything was in line with projections, the only question mark being Vesia.
In total, the outlay for arbitration-eligible players will be $22,635,000.
Now … back to waiting on Roki Sasaki.
