On Wednesday, the 2020 World Series Champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Walker Buehler avoided a salary arbitration hearing by agreeing to a two-year, $8-million contract. The arbitration hearing was scheduled for Thursday.
The Dodgers have already avoided arbitration with star outfielder Cody Bellinger, 2020 World Series MVP Corey Seager, lefty Julio Urias and reliever Dylan Florio. Bellinger agreed to a $16.1 million deal in 2021 and Seager agreed to $13.75 million for this season.
In Buehler’s case, if he makes regular starts this year and wins a Cy Young Award, his deal could escalate beyond $12.12 million. Not only that, Buehler gets a $2 million signing bonus and salaries of $2.75 million in 2021 and $3.25 million in 2022.
According to The Athletic‘s Ken Rosenthal, based on starts, his 2022 salary can increase by $3 million to $6.25 million and $500,000 for each 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 28.
Hypothetically, Buehler’s 2022 salary would increase by more than $1.2 million if he wins the 2021 Cy Young Award, or by $625,000 if he is second or third in the 2021 NL Cy Young voting.
Buehler, 26, was the Dodgers’ ace and helped them win their first World Series title since 1988 in 2020. In 2019, Buehler went 14-4 with a 3.26 ERA. During the 60-game abbreviated regular season, Buehler went 1-0 with a 3.44 ERA over eight starts. In the 2020 postseason, the right-hander went 2.0 and posted a 1.80 ERA over four starts.
Buehler was eligible for arbitration for the first time, after earning $233,518 in prorated pay in 2020 from a $603,500 salary. He has 2 years, 168 days of major league service, and will be eligible to hit the free-agent market after the 2024 season.
