The Major League Baseball arbitration deliberations were held in St. Petersburg this past week and the Tampa Bay Rays had one dispute to settle. Tommy Pham, the 2018 deadline acquisition who proved huge dividends down the stretch believed that he should earn 4.1 million in his first year of arbitration while the Rays offered him 3.5 million.
Pham became the 4th player to ever beat the Rays in arbitration joining Drew Smyly, Adeiny Hechavarria and Jake Odorizzi who beat them twice. Pham’s victory bumps the Rays all time record to 6-5.
While a difference of 600 thousand dollars might seem trivial in the grand scheme of things, his added earnings will prove pivotal in his final two years of arbitration which are based on previous earnings.