MLB teams and certain players can have salary-related differences.
It’s not easy to calculate someone’s value, and when it comes to salary arbitration, sometimes the two parties can’t agree and they have to go to a hearing.
This is happening between the Los Angeles Dodgers and starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin at the moment.
“Can confirm the Dodgers filed at $3 million while Gonsolin filed at $3.4 million, per source,” the LA Times’ Jack Harris tweeted.
Can confirm the Dodgers filed at $3 million while Gonsolin filed at $3.4 million, per source. @JonHeyman and @Feinsand on it
— Jack Harris (@Jack_A_Harris) January 14, 2023
Gonsolin, who had a breakout year in 2022 and was even discussed as a Cy Young candidate at some point before getting hurt in the second half, is asking for $3.4 million.
His team, in an effort to keep his arbitration cost somewhat under control in the future, is offering $3 million.
Now, an independent arbitrator will side with one of the parties in a hearing: it can’t be any number other than $3.4 million or $3 million.
A decision will likely come after the regular season starts.
Gonsolin’s chances are not bad after he finished the 2022 campaign with the best numbers of his young career.
In 24 starts and 130.1 frames, he went 16-1 with a 2.14 ERA, 119 strikeouts and a 0.87 WHIP.
He was a mainstay in the Dodgers’ rotation almost all year long until suffering forearm issues in the summer.
Upon returning, he was used as a reliever.
Right now, he projects to be an important part of the rotation.
The Dodgers won’t have Walker Buehler or Trevor Bauer, so Gonsolin is expected to maintain the level that made him great in 2022.
Can he do that?
It remains one of the most fascinating storylines of the Dodgers’ season.
NEXT: Young Dodgers Ace Lands His First Major Raise