Don’t expect many surprises before Friday’s 7 p.m. deadline to tender 2018 contracts to salary arbitration-eligible players. The Royals are expected to tender contracts to pitchers Kelvin Herrera, Nathan Karns and Brandon Maurer, the club’s most high-profile players eligible for salary arbitration.
The final arbitration-eligible player is right-handed pitcher Mike Morin, acquired off waivers in September. Royals general manager Dayton Moore said Thursday that the club was still in the process of making tender decisions on all their eligible players.
Players reach salary arbitration after accumulating three years of major-league service time or “super-two” status. Once that happens, clubs can tender those players contracts and head to the arbitration process.