The last contract longtime catcher Jason Castro may sign as a member of the Astros could be determined in an uncomfortable environment, in front of an arbitration panel.
The catcher filed for a 2016 salary of $5.25 million and the team offered $5 million, the Chronicle confirmed.
The Astros haven’t operated with a strict “file-and-go” mentality under general manager Jeff Luhnow. That is, they haven’t universally told players that if they do not settle on an arbitration salary ahead of the deadline for salary figures to be exchanged — which was Friday afternoon — that they would not negotiate further and proceed to a hearing.