Pirates avoid arbitration with 4 players ahead of 2025 season but can't come to terms with 2
The Pittsburgh Pirates avoided arbitration with starting pitcher Bailey Falter, relievers David Bednar and Colin Holderman and catcher Joey Bart on Thursday by agreeing each to one-year contracts, according to a source.
The Pirates did not come to a settlement with right-handed pitchers Johan Oviedo and Dennis Santana prior to the deadline. Both sides will now exchange arbitration figures and head to a hearing before an arbiter.
Bednar, a two-time National League All-Star closer, accepted an offer of $5.9 million. That’s a nearly $1.4 million raise from last season but significantly less than the $6.6 million he was projected to make by MLBTradeRumors.com. The 30-year-old Mars alum was one of the NL’s top closers in 2022-23 and had 23 saves but lost his job late last season after recording a 5.77 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with seven blown saves in 57 2/3 innings.
The left-handed Falter will make $2.222 million, a hefty raise from the $755,000 he made last season. Falter was 8-9 with a 4.43 ERA in 142⅓ innings over 28 starts. Falter was projected to make $2.8 million.
Bart will make $1.75 million, a big bump from his $770,000 salary last season. After being acquired from the San Francisco Giants in April, he won the starting job upon finding his batting stroke with the Pirates by slashing .265/.337/.462, with 13 homers, 11 doubles, 45 RBIs and an OPS of .799 in 80 games.
Holderman will make $1.5 million, nearly doubling his $755,000 salary from last season. Acquired from the New York Mets at the 2023 trade deadline for first baseman Daniel Vogelbach, the 29-year-old Holderman has recorded a 4-9 record, 3.81 ERA, two saves and a 1.339 WHIP for the Pirates over the past two seasons.
Oviedo made $765,000 last season, which he missed after undergoing Tommy John surgery in December 2023. He was 9-14 with a 4.31 ERA as a starter in 2023.Santana, claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees in June, was 1-1 with a 2.44 ERA in 39 appearances out of the bullpen.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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