The arbitration process tends to favor teams over players, so it’s no surprise the Brewers are following the league’s standard approach by taking one of their best players, William Contreras, to a hearing. Arbitration is a dreaded topic in baseball, with players, coaches, executives, and reporters all avoiding it when possible. However, for the third time in six years, the Brewers are likely heading to arbitration with a star player, Contreras, after failing to agree on his 2025 salary. He filed for $6.5 million, while the team countered with $5.6 million.
The arbitration system allows players to earn significant raises but doesn’t reflect what they’d earn on the open market. Contreras, for example, would easily command a multi-million-dollar contract as a free agent, but his arbitration salary is only a fraction of that. The process compares players to those with similar performance histories, and the Brewers are using Seattle’s Cal Raleigh as a benchmark, who settled for $5.6 million.
Teams are reluctant to break from established salary norms, and the Brewers’ stance is in line with that. Past cases, like those with Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes, show that clubs will fight to maintain the system’s integrity, even if it means winning hearings. As a result, while Contreras will likely argue for a higher salary based on his value, the Brewers are expected to prevail with their more conservative offer.
This is a common practice across the league, not just among smaller-market teams, and though it can feel unfair, it’s a standard part of MLB’s business structure.
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