Third baseman Nolan Arenado expected to earn $25 milion; reliever Scott Oberg signs one-year deal.
Rockies reliever Oberg signs one-year deal worth $1.3 million
The Rockies’ offseason has been a quiet one, save for the signing of first baseman Daniel Murphy to a two-year, $24 million contract. But news involving all-star third baseman Nolan Arenado, as well as all-star shortstop Trevor Story and starting pitcher Jon Gray, is likely to spice things up beginning Friday, when the 11 a.m. deadline to exchange salary figures with arbitration-eligible players arrives.
Right-hander reliever Scott Oberg, the Rockies’ most consistent reliever last season when he went 8-1 with a 2.45 ERA and a 0.989 WHIP, came to terms with the Rockies on Thursday, signing a one-year deal for $1.3 million.
For most teams, including the Rockies, it marks an unofficial deadline for negotiating one-year contracts to avoid arbitration. Teams and players can still work out a contract after Friday’s deadline, but not reaching an agreement beforehand could indicate some contention.
Arenado is entering the final year of his contract and he’s projected to make at least $25 million, which would be the most for any player in an arbitration year. Josh Donaldson currently holds the record, set last year when he avoided arbitration by signing a one-year, $23 million contract with Toronto.
Arenado earned $17.75 million in 2018 and backed it up with another terrific season. He led the National League with 38 home runs while batting .297 and knocking in 110 runs. He won his sixth consecutive Gold Glove, was an all-star for the fourth time and finished third in the MVP voting.
Story, who’s entering arbitration for the first time, will likely land a contract worth more than $6 million. Gray, also arbitration-eligible for the first time, is in line to make about $3 million.
The other Rockies who are arbitration eligible are right-handed pitchers Chad Bettis, left-hander Tyler Anderson and catcher Tony Wolters.
In November, left-handed reliever Chris Rusin avoided arbitration by signing a oneyear contract worth $1,687,500 — a $400,000 raise from his 2018 contract.
For teams that do not reach an agreement with their players by Friday, a number of scenarios are possible. The team and player will each submit a figure they believe is appropriate for the player’s 2019 salary and have the opportunity to reach agreement based on those numbers. If the two sides can’t agree by the time of a hearing in February, they will meet before an arbitrator, who will choose either the player’s or team’s salary submission.
Last January, outfielder Charlie Blackmon signed a one-year, $14 million contract to avoid arbitration, but then signed a six-year, $108 million contract extension deal in April, replacing the deal he signed in January.