As the Los Angeles Dodgers attempt to finalize their blockbuster three-team trade with the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, they have been busy on other fronts — particularly as it pertains to salary arbitration.
The organization went to a hearing with Joc Pederson on Thursday — their first in over a decade — and defeated him, ensuring that he will earn $7.75 million for the 2020 season as opposed to the $9.5 million figure he requested.
The Dodgers managed to avoid such a scenario with Max Muncy and Chris Taylor, signing them to multi-year contract extensions and foregoing the arbitration hearing process altogether.
Muncy was re-upped for three more seasons, covering the remainder of his arbitration years and potentially one of his free agent years in the form of a team option for 2023.
Muncy reportedly received a signing bonus and incentives for MVP voting that will increase the value of the club option as part of his pact with the Dodgers, via the Associated Press:
Muncy gets a $4.5 million signing bonus, payable within 30 days of the deal’s approval by Major League Baseball, and salaries of $1 million this year, $7.5 million in 2021 and $11.5 million in 2022. The Dodgers have a $13 million option for 2023, when he could be eligible for free agency, with a $1.5 million buyout.
His option price can escalate based on his finish in MVP voting in the next three years: $1 million for each finish among the top five, $500,000 for sixth through 10th and $250,000 for 11th through 20th, provided he receives more than one vote.
Muncy reportedly filed at $4.675 million and the Dodgers countered with $4 million. He will now earn $26 million over the next three seasons, with the option currently valued at $13 million.
Muncy is coming off an excellent 2019 season in which he earned his first career All-Star Game selection and hit .251/.374/.515 with 22 doubles, 35 home runs and 98 RBI. The 29-year-old set career highs in runs (101), doubles, home runs, RBI and walks (90).
Since joining the Dodgers, Muncy ranks among the National League leaders with 176 runs (16th), 177 RBI (tied-15th), 70 home runs (sixth), .545 slugging percentage (seventh) and .927 on-base plus slugging (fifth).
With Muncy, Pederson and Taylor’s salaries being settled for the 2020 season, the lone player left in limbo is Pedro Baez, whose arbitration hearing will presumably be held in the near future.
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