By Canadian Press

Players sweep 5 arbitration decisions as Hays, Webb, Ward, Dubón and Bickford all win

Feb 6, 2024 | 8:13 PM

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Players swept five salary arbitration decisions against major league teams on Tuesday, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. went to a hearing against Toronto that will set a record whether the star first baseman wins or loses.

Baltimore outfielder Austin Hays and pitcher Jacob Webb won their cases along with Los Angeles Angels outfielder Taylor Ward, Houston utilityman Mauricio Dubón and New York Mets reliever Phil Bickford. The unusual sweep gave players a 5-2 advantage with 11 cases still pending.

Guerrero asked for $19.9 million and the Blue Jays offered $18.05 million when the sides exchanged figures last month. The result will top the previous high awarded from a hearing, topping the $14 million Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernández received after he lost his hearing last year.

A three-time All-Star, Guerrero hit .264 with 26 homers and 94 RBIs last year. He is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

Hays was awarded the $6.3 million he asked for over the Orioles’ proposed $5.85 million. Brian Keller, Allen Ponak and Jasbir Parmer made the decision after hearing arguments on Jan. 30. The 28-year-old Hays hit .275 last year with 16 homers and 67 RBIs, earning $3.2 million. The 2023 All-Star is eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

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Webb will get $1 million instead of the team’s $925,000 offer in a decision by Paul Radvany, Scott Buchheit and Ponak, who heard the case last Thursday. A 30-year-old right-hander, Webb had a 3.27 ERA in 25 relief appearances last season.

Ward had asked for $4.8 million compared to the team’s offer of $4.3 million. His case was decided by Jeanne Vonhof, Margaret Brogan and Parmer, who conducted the hearing Friday. The 30-year-old Ward hit .253 last year with 14 homers and 47 RBIs, down from a .281 average with 23 homers and 65 RBIs in 2022. His season ended July 29 when he was hit on the head by a 91 mph fastball from Toronto pitcher Alek Manoah and sustained facial fractures.

Dubón won his case for $3.5 million over the team’s offer of $3 million. The Gold Glove winner’s hearing was Monday before John Woods, Jeanne Charles and Janice Johnston. The 29-year-old Dubón hit .278 with 10 homers and 46 RBIs in his first full season with Houston, which acquired him from San Francisco in May 2022.

Bickford got the $900,000 he requested rather than the $815,000 the Mets proposed in a case decided by Robert Herzog, Stephen Raymond and Brogan, who also listened to arguments Monday. The 28-year-old right-hander was 5-5 with a 4.95 ERA in 61 games last season for the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Mets, who acquired him on Aug. 1.

Teams won the first two decisions of the year, beating Miami outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. ($2,625,000 vs. his $2.9 million request) and Los Angeles Angels left-hander José Suarez ($925,000 instead of $1.35 million).

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

The Associated Press