Besides Mauricio Dubón, the Astros have avoided a hearing with all its remaining arbitration-eligible players this offseason. A “file-and-trial club” under previous general managers Jeff Luhnow and James Click, it remains unclear whether Dana Brown will do the same with Dubón this year. The two sides are still allowed to reach an agreement following last week’s exchange deadline, but typically a file-and-trial club uses that same date as a hard deadline in settlement negotiations. If so, then it is up to an arbitrator to determine a player’s salary for the upcoming season.
Only $500,000 separates the Astros’ offer — $3 million — from Dubón’s filing of $3.