dodgers and righties Tony Gonsolin The team announced that it had signed a two-year contract worth 6.65mm to avoid arbitration. The deal won’t affect the club’s window of team control, as he remains in control through the 2026 season.
The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports on the financial breakdown of Beverly Hills Athletic Commission clients (on twitter). Gonsolin will make $3.25 this coming season, just above the midpoint between his $3.4 application figure and the team’s $3 offer. The deal includes a fairly modest base salary of $34,000 in 2024, but would allow the right-hander to earn a respectable amount if he stays healthy this year. If Gonsolin starts 14, 16, 18, 20, 24 and 28 games this season, his 2024 salary will increase by $500,000 — potentially adding $3MM to his 24-year salary. The contract also includes a bonus based on his completion in the Cy Young vote.
The Associated Press reports that if Gonsolin wins the Cy Young title next season, his 2024 salary will increase by $1.125 million, with $625,000 for a top three finish and $500,000 if he finishes fourth or fifth. According to the Associated Press, any appearance of at least 3 1/3 reliefs equated to the activation of the escalator — presumably as a way to protect Gonsolin’s path behind the door opener to unlock the escalator.
It’s a relatively inconsequential deal in the big picture, but it locks in some cost certainty for the club and player for years to come. Gonsolin, who qualified for arbitration this winter as the Super No. 2 player, will still have two additional seasons of arbitration eligibility, covering the 2025-26 season. The deal ends the Dodgers’ arbitration work this offseason, as they have agreed to reach agreements with nine other arbitration-eligible players ahead of the Jan. 14 deadline for parties to exchange data.
Gonsolin made his debut in 2019 and served as a deep starter in his first two-plus seasons. While St. Mary’s product has been effective, he didn’t find a spot in the Dodgers’ strong rotation until last year. Going into the 2022 campaign, Gonsolin has solidified himself as one of the best pitchers in the game. He posted an excellent 2.14 ERA in 130 1/3 innings in 24 starts. A .207 batting average makes him unlikely to hold an ace-level run defense, but the 28-year-old walked 7 percent against an above-average 23.9 percent of his opponents. Even with his ERA taking a step back, he looks like a good mid-rounder.
According to Roster Resource’s calculations, the Dodgers’ salary is just under $222MM. The team’s competitive balance tax figure is several million dollars above the base threshold of $233MM, with Gonsolin’s $3.325MM average annual value on the ledger. Their CBT obligations are estimated at approximately $23.8 billion.
