Realmuto loses to Marlins in salary arbitration; Bour wins
PHOENIX (AP) Catcher J.T. Realmuto lost his salary arbitration case against Miami and first baseman Justin Bour beat the Marlins to leave players with a 3-1 record this year.
Realmuto was given a $2.9 million salary Friday instead of his request for $3.5 million. The decision was made by arbitrators Andrew Strongin, Elizabeth Neumeier and Allen Ponak, who heard arguments Wednesday.
Bour was awarded $3.4 million instead of Miami's $3 million offer by James Oldham, Steven Wolf and Mark Burstein, who presided over Thursday's hearing.
Realmuto may be traded as part of the Marlins' payroll purge under new chief executive Derek Jeter. Miami already has dealt major league home run champion Giancarlo Stanton, Marcell Ozuna, Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich. Realmuto made $562,500 last year and was eligible for arbitration for the first time after hitting .278 with 17 homers and 65 RBIs.
Bour hit .289 with 25 homers and 83 RBIs last year, when he had a $552,500 salary.
Boston All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts and Arizona pitcher Shelby Miller won the first two cases of the year.
Houston closer Ken Giles had a hearing Thursday, and Toronto closer Roberto Osuna and Tampa Bay shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria went before panels Friday. Both pitchers were eligible for arbitration for the first time.
Eighteen players remain scheduled for hearings in the next two weeks. Twenty-five hearings would be the most since 1987.
Osuna requested Wolf, Robert Herzog and James Darby give him a raise from $552,400 to $5.8 million instead of the Blue Jays' $5.3 million offer. The 22-year-old right-hander was 3-4 with a 3.38 ERA and 39 saves last season, raising his three-year total to 95. But he also led the major leagues with 10 blown saves in 2017.
Giles asked Phillip LaPorte, Sylvia Skratek and Strongin for a raise from $555,100 to $4.6 million - $400,000 more than Houston's offer. He had 34 saves in 38 chances and went 1-3 with a 2.30 ERA last year for Houston. While the Astros won their first World Series, Giles had an 11.74 ERA in the postseason and 27.00 ERA in a pair of World Series appearances, when he allowed five runs in 1 2/3 innings.
Hechavarria submitted a $5.9 million figure and was offered $5.35 million by the Rays in a case that will be decided by Gary Kendellen, Oldham and Neumeier. He hit .261 with eight homers and 30 RBIs in last year for the Marlins and Rays, who acquired him in late June near the end of a 1 -month stay on the disabled list caused by an oblique strain. He made $4.35 million.
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