Nationals' upcoming arbitration battle is the strangest of the upcoming cycle

"Throughout the offseason, one of the more awkward times of the year is the subject of arbitration for players and teams around Major League Baseball. Their case is a true first, as Skubal and his camp are seeking $32 million in salary for 2026, which would be a record awarded in arbitration. The Tigers filed at $19 million, which leaves the side $13 million apart as rumors of Skubal being traded to the highest bidder will only surely increase moving forward."

"For the Washington Nationals, however, they have been a little bit more successful, as they came to terms with a few of their handful of decisions that they had to figure out before the offseason progressed too deeply. There also was one player that they did not agree with, and I will talk about that later as well. A couple of the players who they just came to agreements with are very important pieces to the franchise's success, such as All-Stars CJ Abrams"

"That player is righty starting pitcher Cade Cavalli, who filed at $900K, while the Nationals filed at $825K. Since the sides are so close from a numerical standpoint, it seems pretty likely that they will be able to agree to terms before having to legitimately go to a hearing, as most teams would be able to do. If for some reason they end up going to a hearing over $75K, which is a fair amount to the average person"

Arbitration negotiations created notable tension for teams and players during the offseason. Tarik Skubal filed for $32 million for 2026 while the Tigers filed $19 million, leaving a $13 million gap and fueling trade speculation. The Washington Nationals settled with several arbitration-eligible players, including All-Stars CJ Abrams and MacKenzie Gore, plus Jake Irvin and Luis Garcia Jr., leaving Cade Cavalli as the lone unresolved case. Cavalli filed at $900,000 while the Nationals offered $825,000, a $75,000 difference that makes a hearing unlikely given the small gap, though a hearing over such an amount would be an awkward outcome.

Read at District on Deck