The New York Mets on Friday defeated J.D. Davis in the first of 13 scheduled salary arbitration cases this month, as the third baseman/outfielder will receive a raise from $592,463 to $2.1 million rather than his $2,475,000 request.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander also lost his case. He also will receive $2.1 million, after he had asked for a raise from $572,500 to $2,475,000.
Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi was the lone winner in the three cases Friday, getting a raise from $850,000 to $2.45 million after the team had argued for $1.85 million.
Because of the pandemic, hearings are being conducted by Zoom for the first time rather than in person.
Davis, 27, hit .247 with six homers and 19 RBIs during the pandemic-shortened season.
Santander, 26, hit .261 with 11 homers and 32 RBIs in the pandemic-shortened season. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time.
The 29-year-old Choi hit .230 with three homers and 16 RBIs last year, then batted .240 (10 for 40) with two homers and four RBIs as the Rays advanced to the World Series and lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He batted .261 with 19 homers and 63 RBIs in 2019.
Still scheduled for hearings are Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes and pitcher Walker Buehler; Tampa Bay reliever Ryan Yarbrough; Houston shortstop Carlos Correa; St. Louis pitcher Jack Flaherty; Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ; Los Angeles Angeles pitcher/outfielder Shohei Ohtani; San Francisco second baseman Donovan Solano; and Atlanta pitcher Mike Sorotka and shortstop Dansby Swanson.
Teams won seven of 12 hearings last year, including six of the first seven, and had a winning record for the fourth time in six years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.