Marcus Stroman, Jays $300Gs apart in arbitration
Right-hander looking for multi-million-dollar raise from $525,000 he made last season
Marcus Stroman and the Toronto Blue Jays are $300,000 US apart on what each thinks the right-handed starter is worth this season.
Stroman asked for a raise from $525,900 to $3.4 million US, and Toronto argued for a $3.1 million salary during Friday's hearing before arbitrators Steven Wolf, Jeanne Wood, James Oldham.
Stroman, 25, was 9-10 with a 4.37 ERA last year in his first full season following a torn left anterior cruciate ligament.
Decisions will not be issued until all cases are completed that involve first-time eligible starting pitchers.
Also Friday, Houston's Collin McHugh asked for a raise from $529,000 to $3.85 million, and Houston pushed for a $3.35 million salary. Milwaukee's Chase Anderson and Arizona's Taijuan Walker also have gone to hearings and are awaiting decisions, and Tampa Bay's Jake Odorizzi and St. Louis' Michael Wacha are among six players scheduled for hearings next week.
McHugh, a 29-year-old right-hander, was 13-10 with a 4.34 ERA, down from 19-7 in 2015.
Teams and players have split six decisions this year. Oakland outfielder Khris Davis ($5 million), Miami pitcher David Phelps ($4.6 million) and New York Mets infielder Wilmer Flores ($2.2 million) won, and Arizona pitcher Shelby Miller ($4.7 million), Boston pitcher Fernando Abad ($2 million) and Baltimore catcher Caleb Joseph ($700,000) lost.