Dodgers: 2018 Salary Arbitration Predictions

PEDRO BAEZ, RH Relief Pitcher, 1st Year Arb Eligible

Baez has also had his shares of ups and downs as well.  He has shown flashes of brilliance and has frustrated the Dodgers and their fans at times with inconsistent performance out of the pen. Last year Pedro had a 2.95 ERA in 66 games, had a WHIP of 1.328, struck out 9/9 innings.  His Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP), though, was a troubling 4.44.  The hope is Baez will ultimately emerge as the dominant 8th innings set-up man we have all been hoping for.

COMP:  Pedro Strop, CHC 

Strop’s platform season in 2014 is similar to Baez’s platform season.  Strop put up a 2.21 ERA in 65 games, struck out 71, and posted a 1.066 WHIP.  Strop earned $2.525 million after that performance (he was a super two the year before so he had an extra year of arb eligibility).  Strop had a slight advantage in that regard.  In Strop’s super two years of eligibility, he received $1.325 million. The midpoint between these salaries is just under $2 million.  I say Baez will earn just over that.

PREDICTION:  $2.1 million