Atlanta Braves, Mike Minor likely heading to arbitration
After agreeing to a $2.43 million contract with left-handed pitcher James Russell yesterday, Mike Minor is the only player with the Atlanta Braves who hasn’t agreed to a new contract. Today is the deadline for arbitration-eligible players, and if the two sides haven’t come to an agreement, Minor’s 2015 salary will be determined through an arbitration hearing in February.
MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported on Twitter moments ago that the two sides still haven’t come together, and that a hearing is likely:
Minor and the #Braves have not reached an agreement and it now appears his 2015 salary will be determined during by an arbitration hearing.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) January 16, 2015
Minor is coming off of the worst season of his short three-year career with the Braves, and the team is likely trying to emphasize that in this year’s negotiations. After a terrific 2013, Minor established himself as one of the game’s top young pitchers, finishing with 3.5 WAR and a 3.21 ERA.
The follow-up campaign in 2014 proved to be less fun for him, thanks in some part to bad luck in regards to HR/FB numbers and a less-effective changeup. Minor threw 145.1 innings last season and ended the year with 0.2 WAR and a 4.77 ERA.
He’s undoubtedly a better pitcher than last season showed–and that’s almost assuredly the reason the Braves and him will be heading into hearings this February.