The results for Mike Soroka’s arbitration case have come in. If you hadn’t looked at the numbers beforehand, it might not have been a surprise that he won the case, considering how penny-pinching the Braves organization can be. But, after looking at the numbers, the outcome is rather shocking.
The surprise is due to the massive gap in filing numbers. The Braves filed for 2.1 million, but the arbitrators decided the 2.8 million Soroka filed was the correct amount. That is approximately 33 percent more than what the Braves filed. Statistically speaking, that is a considerable difference. His 2021 salary comes in at about one million higher than most projections saw him making. This is a huge win for players, showing they have a chance to make significantly more via arbitration case than just accepting what teams offer.
For those of you who may be confused about what is going on here, I’ll explain. Generally, after a player has three years of service time, they enter the arbitration phase. There are some exceptions to this (if they already have a contract, or if they are “Super 2”, etc.). Players and teams have until a set date in January to agree on their salary for the upcoming year. If they disagree, they go to arbitration. The team will submit an amount they believe the player is worth. A player also presents a number. Generally, a player will get a raise every year until they are no longer arbitration-eligible. If the player wins their arbitration case, the team is on the hook for the money, whether they release them or not. This is why you may see players released before the date set in January.
In this particular case, Soroka came away victorious. Here’s to hoping he continues to recover well. Braves fans patiently await his return.
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