<
>

St. Louis Cardinals' Jack Flaherty, Atlanta Braves' Mike Soroka win arbitration cases

NEW YORK -- St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty and Atlanta Braves pitcher Mike Soroka won their salary arbitration cases Saturday, while Tampa Bay Rays reliever Ryan Yarbrough lost his case.

Flaherty was awarded a raise from from $604,500 to $3.9 million by arbitrators Howard Edelman, Steven Wolf and Walt De Treux, who heard arguments Feb. 5. The Cardinals had submitted $3 million.

Soroka was given a raise from $583,500 to $2.8 million by arbitrators Frederic Horowitz, Margaret Brogan and Robert Herzog, who heard arguments Friday. The Braves had argued for $2.1 million.

Yarbrough received a raise from $578,500 to $2.3 million from arbitrators Allen Ponak, Mark Burstein and Jules Bloch rather than his request for $3.1 million.

Players and teams have split six decisions so far, with four players -- Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ, San Francisco second baseman Donovan Solano and Atlanta shortstop Dansby Swanson -- scheduled for hearings next week.

All cases are being argued over Zoom this year due to the pandemic rather than in person.

Flaherty, 25, was 4-3 with a 4.91 ERA in nine starts during the shortened season, striking out 49 and walking 16 in 40 1/3 innings.

Soroka, 23, was 0-1 with a 3.95 ERA in three starts. His year ended when he tore his right Achilles tendon while pitching against the New York Mets on Aug. 3. Soroka had surgery four days later and hopes to be ready for Opening Day.

A 29-year-old left-hander, Yarbrough was 1-4 with a 3.56 ERA in nine starts and two relief appearances, striking out 44 and walking 12 in 55 2/3 innings. He was 1-0 with a 3.68 ERA in two postseason starts and five relief appearances, helping the Rays reach the World Series, where they lost to the Dodgers.