Khris Davis won his arbitration hearing against the A’s, meaning the slugging left fielder will make $5 million in 2017 rather than the $4.65 million Oakland had proposed.
This marks the first arbitration case the A’s have lost since Billy Beane took over baseball operations in 1997, though it also marked just the team’s fourth overall that has gone before an arbitration panel over that time. The A’s generally have had great success agreeing on one-year deals with players before a hearing is required.
Davis, with three years of service time, was arbitration-eligible for the first time. He helped his cause with a monster 2016 season that included a career-high 42 homers and 102 RBI. Those homers were tied for third most in the majors.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE Davis made just $524,500 last season, so he was in line for a huge raise whether he won his case or not. He’ll be eligible for free agency for the first time after the 2019 season.
A three-person panel hears an arbitration case, with both the team and a player’s representatives arguing their case for why their proposed salary figure is justified.