MESA, Ariz. – Outfielder Ian Happ defeated the Chicago Cubs in baseball's final salary arbitration case this year on Friday and will get a raise from $624,000 to $4.1 million.
Teams finished with a 5-4 advantage in cases that went to a hearing, their second straight winning record after two consecutive years in which players had an advantage.
Overall, teams are 325-247 since arbitration began in 1974. A day after hearing arguments, arbitrators Frederic Horowitz, Steven Wolf and Jules Bloch decided in favor of Happ's figure rather than the team's $3.25 million.
Happ, 26, hit .258 with 12 homers and 28 RBIs over 198 at-bats during the shortened season. He was eligible for arbitration for the first time after earning $231,111 in prorated pay.