The Cardinals have five players scheduled to go through arbitration, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The club will turn their attention to these players over the next few weeks, Goold reported. The players eligible for arbitration are 3B David Freese, RP Jason Motte, RP Mitchell Boggs, RP Edward Mujica and RP Marc Rzepczynski. All are likely in for a pay raise.
Although the team has managed to cut salary by allowing 1B Lance Berkman and SP Kyle Lohse to walk, the team’s salary is expected to be about $115 million next season. The players who stand to see the largest raise in arbitration are Motte and Freese.
Motte established himself as the club’s closer last season, saving 42 games. The 30-year-old pitcher had a 2.75 ERA and a 3.12 FIP in 72 innings. Freese, 29, will enter arbitration for the first time. He’s coming off a season in which he hit .293/.372/.467 in 567 plate appearances.
The Cardinals can avoid entering an arbitration hearing by coming to terms on a contract with the player before the hearing date. Although some cases eventually go to hearings, they are typically avoided, as they pit the team and player against each other.
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