The Cleveland Indians avoid arbitration with closer Cody Allen, agreeing to a one year deal.
In a wise move, the Cleveland Indians dodge arbitration with closer Cody Allen for 2018, coming terms to a one year contract worth $10.575 million. The deal is excellent news for Allen, who receives a pay increase of over three million dollars for next season.
#Indians RHP Cody Allen avoided salary arbitration and signed $10.575 million for next season.
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) January 11, 2018
Cody Allen is coming off of three consecutive 30-plus save seasons, with stellar numbers to go along with it — 2.62 ERA, 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings, only 3.2 walks per nine innings. He’s even more stout in the postseason, sporting a 0.47 ERA and a stellar 33-to-8 walk to base on ball ratio in nearly 20 innings.
The Indians aren’t done yet, where arbitration hangs in the balance with four other players:
For those of you who are new the arbitration party, here’s exactly what it entails.
For an MLB player’s first three seasons in the Big Leagues, their respective team controls their salary, which typically sits at the league minimum. During yeard four through six, you can negotiate your salary your current team, with a shot of receiving arbitration. Concluding your sixth season, you are then an MLB free agent.
"Players who have three or more years of Major League service but less than six years of Major League service become eligible for salary arbitration if they do not already have a contract for the next season."
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Some MLBers qualify as “Super 2” eligible, meaning:
"A player’s salary can indeed be reduced in arbitration — with 20 percent being the maximum amount by which a salary can be cut — although such instances are rare."
You want to lock that player down, if he’s valuable, to a long-term contract as soon as possible. The Cleveland Indians avoided it with Allen, which means both sides have a higher probability of agreeing to an extensive deal since he is a free agent now after the 2018 season.
Cody Allen will join an elite group of relievers in 2019 in the MLB free agent market:
Next: Which MLB stars are likely to be traded?
If the Cleveland Indians would like to continue as World Series contenders, they need to get busy signing as many of their young players to long-term deals, ASAP.