The Houston Astros submitted their arbitration bids yesterday after signing fellow arb-eligibles Lance McCullers Jr., Will Harris and Brad Peacock to one-year deals. Houston failed to reach agreements with shortstop Carlos Correa, starter Gerrit Cole and swingman Chris Devenski. All three, at least for the time being, will head towards arbitration hearings to determine their 2019 salaries.
Correa is coming off a bit of a down year, while injuries have kept him to no more than 110 games in each of the last two seasons. He filed for a $5MM salary for 2019, while the Astros countered at $4.25MM. MLBTR projected a $4.625MM contract for Correa in this, his first year of arbitration. Both sides are surely hoping for a healthy bounceback campaign from Correa, a core piece of their championship winning club of 2017 who struggled to the tune of .239/.323/.405 last season. Of course, most clubs would be pretty thrilled to get a 101 wRC+ from a 23-year-old shortstop.
Devenski, meanwhile, filed for $1.65MM, with Houston countering at $1.4MM – the same number MLBTR projected for the righty. Devenski has primarily come out of the pen for Houston, pitching to a 2.74 ERA over his three major-league seasons. Last year was the worst campaign of Devenski’s three in the majors, though he was still serviceable in 47 1/3 innings, which included one start (4.18 ERA, 4.49 FIP, 4.01 xFIP). Like Correa, Devenski has two further seasons of arbitration eligibility before hitting free agency after 2021.
As reported yesterday, Cole filed at $13.5MM, while the Astros countered at $11.425MM. The rather large difference of $2.075MM is understandable given this will be Cole’s last time through arbitration before hitting free agency. He had a stellar 2018 in his first year with the Astros, 15-5 with a 2.88 ERA and 12.4 K/9, a rather ridiculous number across 200 1/3 innings. No doubt it was a tremendous season, good for 5.3 rWAR, a far cry better than the 2.3 rWAR he accrued per season in Pittsburgh, which definitely complicates the valuation process for all parties.
There is, of course, still time for Houston to forego arbitration with Correa/Cole/Devenski, though the common “file and trial” practice means teams typically stop negotiating one-year deals at this juncture. It is not uncommon for parties to negotiate long-term deals during this period.
Arbitration figures for Correa and Devenski was first posted by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter links). Cole’s figures were reported yesterday by Fancred’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter).
Coles spin rate increase alone should warrant this bump in pay
I’m not sure I understand Houston’s motivation to arbitrate with Correa over 750k? If they ultimately hope to keep him long term, the 750k they’re disputing now will be peanuts and just created negative feelings.
The same could be said for Correa’s motivation to arbitrate over that amount. Especially after the season he had in 2018. He’s been offered more money on an extension and turned it down. If he continues spending extended time on the DL he won’t likely be a long term option for the Astros.
Machado to Astros! Lol
There are 29 other teams that would sign him in a heartbeat.
29 other teams don’t have Alex Bregman, a natural shortstop, playing third base and out producing his left infield counterpart.
Who’s also injured right now……
Bregman 12.7 WAR first 3 seasons.
Correa 16.7 WAR first 3 seasons.
Correa is 4 months YOUNGER.
Bregman will not miss 2 months of the season, as Correa has each of the past 2 seasons.
Astros are cheap. I learned that midseason last year when instead of going after someone else they went after someone who potentially beat his wife because they could get him at a lower price. Now they’re low balling Gerrit Cole and Carlos Correa. Dan O’Dowd stated arbitration hearings usually ruin the relationship the player has with the team. He’s a former GM so I feel like his words are true. The player usually only hears the negatives that are mentioned in the meetings, negatives any self aware person would already be aware of.
I would guess they’ll try to sign Correa and Cole without disparaging their relationships with them. It just seems like their FO is being greedy. And getting that woman abuser at a cheap price didn’t sit right with me either.
This is the first time for arbitration for Correa and the first time the Astros take Cole to arbitration. It shouldn’t cause an issue for a professional, this is part of the business. It would be nice to not go but we all can’t agree on everything.
I know where their career arcs are at. If they have the capital, which they do, and want to respect their players, than giving in to their contract needs is a part of that if the asking price is feasible. Cole’s dollar amount is way different than what the Astros offered. I’m not saying Cole deserves Jacob deGrom money but I feel like what he asked for in arbitration is reasonable.
And Correa literally wanted $725K more. Why not just settle with him instead of going to arbitration? With Cole, I’m hesitant to judge because the Astros might be considering a contract extension versus arbitration. Correa confuses me though. Also you say it shouldn’t cause an issue but it does.
I’m pretty sure each side doesn’t discuss their offers with each other before submitting them. Correa and the team are pretty close on their assessment of his worth, so they’ll probably come to some sort of agreement before it goes to hearing. The Astros over the years have only had to go an actual hearing a handful of times. They usually settle before it gets to that.
Ask Bryant if it matters. He’s still smarting from the Cubs jerking him around season 1. I doubt he signs there.
There’s a huge difference between routine arbitration negotiations and manipulating service time, like the Cubs did with Bryant. The fact that this obviously needs explaining to you, means you probably have no business commenting on such matters.
Oh you’re so smart, I’m at awe with your knowledge. I’ve been watching baseball for 50 years. I’ve forgotten more than you’ll ever know about the game.
They are pros, it shouldn’t affect their status for next year. But you do have to question teams who do bring in players with low moral character. Such as wife beaters. I would add PED players to the mix.
They did have the Harper deal lined up till Nats ownership torpedoed it right at the end so I wouldn’t call them cheap when there isn’t a Chris Sale caliber person available right now
No substantiated evidence or prosecution that he hit any woman
whether he did or did not hit someone has no bearing an his baseball skills. they weren’t trading for a potential domestic violence accusation, they were trading for a legit closer.
RE: @zacbinks.. You say Astros are cheap because they added Osuna? What a dumb statement. You know they had an agreed deal in place for Bryce Harper in July right?
“The Athletic, MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal revealed that the Astros had a deal in place for Harper leading up to the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline before Nationals ownership rejected the move, per Major League sources.”
That’s a year after trading for Verlander. Lol @ cheap. They aren’t able to go buy every big name out there like NY, Boston, LA and Chicago teams do.
Maybe read my statement again a few times more and think a little harder.
Houston should have gone out this year and bought whoever for whatever. Their window is now so they have JV one more year so why not get a Harper or a Machado? They are young and good so why let money be the reason?
Guessing the Stros will lose both those cases, and not sure it’s worth it in either case since they would love to sign both guys to long term contracts.
Both sides will win actually, all 3 will get higher than what the Astros propose, but all 3 will also be lower than what the players are asking for.
If it goes to a hearing, it’s either the amount the player submitted or what the team did. No in between
How about the players respecting the owners and fans? These guys make millions to play a GAME. They were blessed with God given talents. How much is ENOUGH? We all pay for the salaries in the long run. That has driven a lot of the fans away. Pro Sports Greed is out of control. Sick and tired of hearing about “ Respect and They Deserve”. Give one of the Prima donnas the average mans or woman’s job and see how long they last.
They make insane amounts of money. However it’s peanuts compared to what the owners are taking in
The money is gross. But so is the distribution of the game’s profits
They keep us arguing over this while raising prices on everything, every year. If you feel the money is disgusting you are better off protesting the price increases each year. We are the only ones getting screwed in this equation. The gifted and the rich are getting fat off of us
Man astros sure are cheap literally all this for 3 million on 3 top level players?
It’s not just the Astros, and when you’re talking about three long term guys you want to extend, you don’t want to precede those extension talks by bending over and caving to their arb demands.
Oh look, another one that knows nothing about arbitration or the Astros history with arbitration eligible players. First off, arbitration isn’t seen by the players or the organization as some sort of standoff, with both parties upset that the other won’t accept the offers put forth. It’s simply a business transaction, period. Secondly, before you go calling an organization cheap because of the way they handle arb eligible players, you should probably know their specific history regarding arb negotiations, as well as having, at the very least, a cursory knowledge of arbitration, which you obviously don’t. As someone already commented above, the Astros have only actually gone all the way to arbitration with a handful of players in their history and likely won’t be adding to that list this year. Your incredibly shallow assessment of the way the Astros handle arbitration is wrong and you should hide your head in shame.
You’re one condescending fool. Leave the room, do us all a favor clown.
He may come off as condescending but he’s not wrong. The Astros the past two trade deadlines have had deals in place for major pieces (Britton and Harper) in which the GM’s agree on the players but then Angelos and the Nats owner nix the deal. You can’t call them cheap when they’re going for it. Yes, they don’t have Steinberner money but if i’m an unbiased fan i’d pick the Astros to win over the Yankees the way they stand now.
Moreover I think they’re being careful with Correa, he hasn’t been durable and it’s concerning. His # is only going to rise next year so save a little now before you have to give him, Bregman, and Springer EACH a Brinks truck.
On Correa it is one thing to be called the best young player in baseball along with all the hype I for one would love to see him start living up to the hype so far Bregman is out shining him. I know he had the injury problem this past season but am looking for bat production. I think they will extend both Verlander and Cole.