PHILADELPHIA— On January 9th, all Major League Baseball teams have to submit salary numbers for players under arbitration.
Arbitration is a process where both the player and team submit what they feel their salary should be for the upcoming season. This takes place for those who are still under their first contract with a club and have yet to reach free agency status for the first time. In most instances, the player agrees to the number assigned by the team. This gives them clarity on what they will make in the season ahead, as they work towards getting a long-term contract.
However, the player does not have to agree with the club’s offer. If both sides cannot agree to a contract, the player can file a case with Major League Baseball. This turns baseball into a court-style drama. While Judge Judy might not be holding the gavel, both the team and players represent themselves and debate why their number is the correct one. At the end of this arbitration hearing, the final contract is determined for the upcoming season. However, the debate back and forth between the players and the team can often lead to a disconnect or hard feelings.
From January 27th to February 14, these hearings will take place. The Phillies hope to avoid going through this process with their players. Third baseman Alec Bohm, starting pitcher Ranger Suarez, outfielder Brandon Marsh, and second baseman Bryson Stott are all players who they tendered contracts for earlier in the off-season.
Should the Phillies be concerned
I would expect business as usual to take place between the Philadelphia Phillies and their roster. However, two players could potentially look to challenge their arbitration numbers. Those players are Alec Bohm and Ranger Suarez.
Alec Bohm
Alec Bohm has heard his name in just about every rumor this off-season. There were reports of the Phillies looking to deal Alec with several clubs during the Winter Meetings and while manager Rob Thomson has denied it, discussions such as this can hurt a player’s trust.
If Bohm has taken to heart the trade rumors, there is a potential that he could challenge the contract the Phillies tendered to an arbitration hearing. This then takes a rocky situation and makes it worse for the Phillies. They would then have to battle their player in a hearing and tell the arbitrator why Alec is not worth the money he is asking for. That could hurt the team’s relationship with their third baseman, which might come back into play later in the season.
This also would not be the first time the Phillies and Alec Bohm landed in an arbitration hearing. Just last season, the two sides battled when the Phillies offered a deal for $3.4 million. Bohm and his representatives felt like he was worth $4 million. In the end, Bohm won, earning himself additional money for the 2024 season.
Ranger Suarez
The other player the Phillies might have to worry about is Ranger Suarez. The left-handed starter recently switched agencies to join Scott Boras’s crew. Boras is a notoriously difficult negotiator and will squeeze every penny out of a club if it means getting the best deal for his player. With this being the final season of his contract with the Phillies, Suarez will surely be looking for a long-term deal this off-season. He trusts that Scott Boras will be able to deliver that for him if he can pitch to his standards in 2025.
Before that takes place, however, Ranger Suarez could potentially look to gain more heading into this upcoming season. If Suarez does not agree with the Phillies’ assessment of his worth, he can be another player the team might have to take into an arbitration hearing.
Long Term Affects
Until the deadline is over on January 9th, speculation on players’ arbitration numbers will remain exactly that. The dollar amounts offered by the Phillies to their players is information that will soon be revealed. Whether or not their talent accepted those offers will be the next step.
If possible, the Phillies should do everything they can to avoid dealing arbitration this season. A team with World Series aspirations should look to clear headaches before they begin. A clear mindset on winning a title is exactly what they will need if they want to hoist a trophy in October.
This period is one of the last stops of the MLB off-season. We are just weeks away from pitchers and catchers reporting to Spring Training once again. The 2025 season is almost upon us and Clearwater, Florida is the next destination.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
