Good morning, Athletics Nation!
Today (Wed, Dec 2) is a major landmark in the MLB offseason, as it brings the deadline for teams to tender contracts to their arbitration-eligible players.
When a player has been in the majors for a few years, but before he reaches free agency (6-7 years), he is eligible for salary arbitration. That means the team still holds control over whether the player stays or goes, but the player becomes entitled to a hefty raise. If the two sides can’t agree on a number, then a court decides for them.
The precise salaries don’t need to be determined by today, but teams must at least decide whether to commit to their players and accept whatever it ends up costing (though most settlements aren’t guaranteed and the team can back out until the middle of next spring).