Even though the 2018 postseason is still in full swing, for teams who are out of the hunt, now is the time to start thinking about offseason moves. Arbitration is a major factor in whether or not a team will chose to continue with a player, or make an effort to move them. In order to qualify for arbitration, a player must have more than three years of service time, but fewer than six, and if they do not have a contract in place for the coming season.
Ultimately, the point of arbitration is to allow for players to negotiate for a better deal for themselves over the offseason.