The Pirates and four of their five arbitration-eligible players came to terms on one-year contracts to avoid arbitration ahead of Friday's deadline to exchange figures, but they could not settle with Ji-Man Choi.
The Pirates are a "file and trial" club, so unless something changes, they seem to be heading towards an arbitration hearing with Choi.
According to a source, Mitch Keller and the team agreed to terms for $2.4375 million, JT Brubaker for $2.275 million, Robert Stephenson for $1.75 mllion and Duane Underwood Jr. for $1.025 million.
It was the first time Keller, Brubaker and Underwood were arbitration eligible, and the third (and almost certainly final) time for Stephenson.
Miguel Andújar, another player with enough service time to be arbitration eligible, signed a one-year, $1.525 million deal during the tender deadline on Nov. 18.
Going by MLB Trade Rumors' and Matt Shwartz's arbitration projections, Stephenson is the only one who signed for less than projected ($1.9 million). Brubaker did the best compared to his projection ($2 million according to MLBTR), while Keller ($2.4 million projection) and Underwood ($1 million) modestly beat the estimates.
As a part of the new collective bargaining agreement, these contracts are fully guaranteed, unlike in the past when a player could have been released in spring training for a fraction of the agreed upon salary.
As for Choi, he appears to be set to become the first Pirate to have an arbitration hearing since Tony Watson in 2017. The Pirates won that hearing and have been able to come to terms on contracts with players to avoid the process ever since.
That almost wasn't the case last year though when the deadline passed and Bryan Reynolds and the team did not reach an agreement. Early on the season, the two sides agreed to a two-year deal, which included 2023, to avoid a hearing. Outside of multi-year agreements, players who do not agree to terms with a "file and trial" team by the file deadline go to an arbiter who will choose which salary a player will make that season: The one the team offered or the one the player requested.
Choi was acquired from the Rays this offseason to help shore up first base and designated hitter. He hit .233 with a .729 OPS and 114 OPS+ last season, worth 1.2 WAR.
MLBTR and Shwartz projected Choi to make $4.5 million in his final year of arbitration. Exchanged salary figures are not yet known.
Arbitration hearings across the league this year will take place between Monday, Jan. 30 and Friday, February 17. There is no date for Choi at this time.