The Los Angeles Dodgers tendered contracts last December to five players who are eligible for salary arbitration. Among them was left-handed relief pitcher Vidal Nuno, who was acquired from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for backup catcher Carlos Ruiz.
Chris Hatcher and Scott Van Slyke were also arbitration-eligible, but both agreed to one-year contracts prior to the deadline for clubs to tender contracts.
Tuesday marked the start of the arbitration process as it was the filing date for arbitration. Friday, Jan. 13, is when teams and players each submit a salary figure for the 2017 season. If sides are unable to reach an agreement, then arbitration hearings are scheduled between Jan. 30 and Feb. 17.
According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, the Dodgers avoided arbitration with Nuno:
dodgers, vidal nuno settle at $1.125M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 10, 2017
Nuno, who earned $532,900 last season, was projected by MLB Trade Rumors to net a $1.1 million salary this season. Nuno was a combined 2-5 with a 3.85 ERA, 4.67 FIP and 1.31 WHIP in 87 games (11 starts) for the Mariners over the past two seasons.
In 2016, he allowed a career-worst 10.3 hits per nine innings, but did post a career-high 4.64 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and Nuno’s 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings was the third-best mark of his career.
The 29-year-old may begin the season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, though gives the Dodgers another left-handed option if Grant Dayton or Adam Liberatore should falter.
