‘Folty’ loses his arbitration case

The Atlanta Braves won their arbitration case against starting pitcher Mike Foltynewicz on Saturday, resulting in a difference of only $100,000 less than they would have paid if he won.

He will make $2.2 million in 2018, a person close to the situation said.

Making the outcome even less significant was this: Foltynewicz became a father earlier Saturday when his wife Brittany gave birth to their son, Michael Jett Foltynewicz. He weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, Foltynewicz announced on his Instagram account, posting a picture of the baby.

When the Braves and Foltynewicz swapped salary arbitration figures Jan. 12, the Braves filed at $2.3 million and Foltynewicz at $2.2 million, the smallest difference in any of the major league arbitration cases this year.

Because the Braves, like a majority of teams, have a “fileand-trial” policy, it meant there would be no negotiating after the sides filed, even though they presumably could have met halfway and paid $2.25 million.

The file-and-trial policy means once the sides swap salary arbitration figures, the Braves will not negotiate before the arbitration hearing unless it’s for a multi-year deal.

The Braves have no more arbitration cases this year.

Foltynewicz, 26, is coming off a rollercoaster season in which he went 10-13 with a 4.79 ERA in 29 games (28 starts) before cutting a finger Sept. 14. He went 9-1 with a 3.56 ERA in 14 starts from May 12 through July 25 — the best stretch of pitching in his career — but was 1-8 with a 7.27 ERA and .307 opponents’ average in his last nine starts while lasting fewer than six innings in all but three games.