‘Big gap’ with Correa opens path to salary arbitration
The Astros and Carlos Correa are heading to an arbitration hearing after the two sides could not come to an agreement on a salary for the 2021 season by Friday’s deadline.
Houston avoided such a fate with utilityman Aledmys Diaz and righthander Lance McCullers Jr., but had what one person familiar with the talks called a “big gap” between Correa and the club.
“I feel like we put our best foot forward, but I thought that his group did a really good job of being up to speed on the market and the factors that go into arbitration,” first-year Astros general manager James Click said. “I think we had a very respectful conversation but at the end of the day we had an honest disagreement. That’s why the system is in place.”
MLBTradeRumors projected Correa to make anywhere between $8 and $10 million in the arbitration process. Correa took the team to an arbitration hearing in 2019 and won his case. He agreed to a $5 million salary for the 2020 season without a hearing.
When the two sides face off before the three-person arbitration panel, it would represent the Astros’ third attempt in three years to take a coveted free agent-to-be to a hearing in his final year before free agency. The team lost its case against Gerrit Cole in 2019 and was set to take George Springer to a hearing last winter.
After Jeff Luhnow’s dismissal last January, owner Jim Crane stepped in to settle Springer’s case before it went to a hearing.
Arbitration hearings can often become awkward — a team arguing against its player and trying to demonstrate why he merits lower salary than he’s requesting. Players who have endured them often say they’ve put any hard feelings aside, but the sting of the process can linger into free agency. At the very least, it’s not an ideal way to
Correa’s final year before being able to test the free-agent market.
“One of the things that we pride ourselves on is presenting a very objective case,” Click said. “This is not anything other than just we see the market one way and they see the market the other way. That’s why the arbitration system is there, to resolve disagreements like this.
“Sometimes you have cases that might have a very small spread and if one side or the other does not conduct themselves professionally, I think that can lead to lingering bad feelings. We have nothing but the utmost respect for Carlos and his group. Again, I can’t emphasize this enough.”
Click acknowledged on Friday that the two sides have had “some conversations” about a long-term extension, but felt it was more important to “get through this one” before discussing a deal any further.
McCullers will make $6.5 million in 2021 — a $2.4 million raise from what he was scheduled to make in 2020. Diaz agreed to a $3 million salary for the 2021 season.
McCullers’ deal for 2021 includes an awards bonus package that will pay him an extra $50,000 if he makes the All-Star team or wins a Gold Glove. A topthree finish in the Cy Young Award voting will net him escalating bonuses — $50,000 for third place, $75,000 for second and $100,000 if he wins the award.
The 27-year-old righthander had a 3.93 ERA and 1.164 WHIP in 55 innings. McCullers made three postseason starts — including Game 7 of the American League Championship Series — allowing eight earned runs in 142⁄3 innings. Diaz appeared in only 17 games while battling various injuries.
While Correa’s case consumed most of Friday’s attention, Houston did seek to supplement a barren part of its farm system. The club agreed to a deal with touted Cuban outfielder Pedro Leon that, according to multiple reports, will pay the 22-year-old a $4 million signing bonus.
The Astros and Leon have been in agreement on a deal since early January 2020. The start of the international signing period, usually on July 2, was moved to Jan. 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Houston had an international bonus pool of $5,348,100, most of which was used to lure Leon, the latest promising Cuban prospect to enter the Astros farm system.
Senior scouting adviser Charlie Gonzalez was a key figure in Leon’s signing. Gonzalez scouted and strongly advocated for Yordan Alvarez when he was a prospect, too, although the Astros did not sign him. In 2016, the Astros acquired Alvarez from the Dodgers ers and consulted Gonzalez before making the deal.
“Pedro Leon projects to be an everyday center fielder and rapid mover to the big leagues,” Gonzalez said in a team news release. “Pedro has a compact build, tremendous strength and is an extreme quick-twitch athlete. He possesses five plus baseball tools on the 20-80 scouting scale, including an 80-grade arm with throws between 96 and 100 miles per hour.
“His personal character is exemplary, and he has well aboveaverage baseball game instincts and work ethic both on and off the field.”
MLBPipeline ranked Leon as the seventh best prospect available in the international class. In 2018-19, Leon slashed .383/.467/ .789 during 152 plate appearances in the Cuban National Series.
Leon will afford the Astros sorely needed outfield depth at their upper minor leagues. Houston has just three outfielders on its 40-man roster — Kyle Tucker, Chas McCormick and Myles Straw. The organization’s best outfield prospect, Colin Barber, has yet to appear above rookie ball.
Houston signed nine other international prospects in addition to Leon. Five were Dominican righthanders ranging in age from 17-20.