Alec Bohm emerged victorious in the salary arbitration battle against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, marking the players’ first winning record since 2019.The versatile infielder secured a $4 million salary, surpassing the team’s initial $3.4 million offer, following arguments presented by Brian Keller, Jeanne Charles, and John Stout during Thursday’s hearing.
Bohm, aged 27, showcased his prowess on the field last season, boasting a .274 batting average alongside career-best stats of 20 home runs and 97 RBIs. This arbitration marked his first eligibility, having previously earned $748,000 in salary.
With the latest win, players now lead 8-6 with just one case pending. Tanner Scott, a left-handed pitcher for the Miami Marlins, is the final player slated for arbitration, seeking $5.7 million compared to the Marlins’ $5.15 million offer. A decision from arbitrators Robert Herman, John Woods, and Allen Ponak is anticipated on Saturday.
The number of arbitration hearings this year totaled 15, down from 19 last year, where clubs prevailed in 13 cases, but up from 13 in 2022, with teams winning nine. This victory for players marks a shift from their 6-4 record in 2019.
Arbitration eligibility for 198 players followed the November deadline for teams to tender 2024 contracts to unsigned players on their 40-man rosters. Most agreements were reached on January 11, coinciding with the exchange of proposed salaries between teams and players.
Notable arbitration outcomes include Juan Soto’s $31 million, one-year contract with the New York Yankees, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $19.9 million salary, the highest awarded in arbitration this year.
Other winners in arbitration include J.D. Davis of the San Francisco Giants, Austin Hays of the Baltimore Orioles, Jacob Webb, Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels, Mauricio Dubón of the Houston Astros, and Phil Bickford of the New York Mets.
On the losing side were players such as Luis Arraez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Miami Marlins, Harold Ramírez of the Tampa Bay Rays, Jason Adam of the Rays, José Suarez of the Los Angeles Angels, and Nick Gordon of the Minnesota Twins.
Among the defeated, Adam, Arraez, and Ramírez aimed to secure victories for the second consecutive year, following the footsteps of previous winners like Collin McHugh and Trevor Bauer.