Philly Sports Jabronis
PHILADELPHIA — The Phillies tendered contracts to all three of their arbitration-eligible players on Tuesday night: left-hander Antonio Bastardo and outfielders Ben Revere and Domonic Brown.
There was little doubt the Phils would tender contracts to Bastardo, Revere and Brown. They need Revere to play center field and lead off, while Brown remains a developing young player one season removed from an All-Star Game appearance, and Bastardo is a key piece in an improved bullpen.
Tuesday’s outcomes set the players up to exchange salary figures with the Phillies in January and eventually sign new contracts for next season.
Bastardo earned $2 million in 2014 and appeared in a career-high 67 games out of the bullpen, striking out 81 in 64 innings. Revere earned $1.95 million this year and tied for first in the National League with 184 hits. Brown took a step back, as his .634 OPS ranked 139th out of 147 qualified hitters in baseball, and he enters his first year of arbitration after earning $550,000 in ’14.
It’s worth noting that tendering contracts does not prevent the Phils from trading Bastardo, Revere or Brown in the offseason. The organization could deal veterans for young talent this winter, and Bastardo is the most attractive trade piece of this group.
The Phillies have 38 players on their 40-man roster.
The club previously avoided salary arbitration with left-hander Cesar Jimenez, agreeing in October to a one-year contract for 2015. Infielder Andres Blanco was arbitration-eligible, but the Phils outrighted him off the 40-man roster and brought him back on a Minor League deal with an invite to Major League Spring Training. Outfielder Tony Gwynn Jr. was also eligible for arbitration, but he elected free agency after being outrighted.
