Braves: Mike Soroka Wins Arbitration Case, Gets $2.8 Million

We have the first results for the Atlanta Braves from their arbitration hearings and this one went the way of the player. 

I was highly surprised when Mike Soroka and the Atlanta Braves couldn’t agree on a contract for the upcoming season and had to go to an arbitrator.

It’s even more surprising to me that Soroka won that case and will now get $2.8 million in 2021 rather than the $2.1 million the Braves offered.

It’s not that I don’t believe Soroka is worth every bit of the $2.8 he’s getting, but it’s the fact that he was granted early arbitration mostly because he was left on the 60-day IL and picked up service time that way.

Maybe I’m flawed for thinking this way, but I would think Soroka would be grateful the Braves did that and be happy with the huge pay raise he was already going to get becoming a super-two player.

But on the flip side, I understand that Soroka has performed as one of the best pitchers in all of baseball when he’s been healthy and wants to get what he thinks he deserves.

I’m sure I’m in the minority on this one, but it rubbed me the wrong way a little bit that Soroka let this one go to an arbiter.

Normally I would support the players in these scenarios with teams try to pinch every penny, but in this case, I thought the Braves had a fair point.

I don’t expect any bad blood between Soroka and the team. What could the Braves really say bad about him during the arbitration process other than he’s been hurt for most of his service time?

Apparently the arbitrators didn’t think that was argument enough not to pay one of the best young pitchers in the game.

Ultimately, good for Mike, he got his money. Now hopefully he’ll continue working on recovering from his Achilles injury to be ready for Opening Day!

Dansby Swanson is also taking his case before an arbitrator and we’ll likely hear those results in the next couple of days as well.