Reliever Phil Bickford emerged victorious in his arbitration hearing against the Mets, according to a report by Joel Sherman of the New York Post (X link). Bickford’s representation at ET Sports successfully argued for a salary of $900K, surpassing the team’s initial filing of $815K.
New York acquired Bickford in a minor trade with the Dodgers just before the deadline. During the latter part of the season, he pitched for 25 1/3 innings and achieved a 4.62 ERA. The former first-round pick managed to strike out approximately 25% of his opponents, but also had a higher-than-desired 11.4% walk rate. These statistics were consistent with his performance in Los Angeles. Bickford concluded the year with a 4.95 ERA, which is his highest over a career-high 67 1/3 innings.
At 28 years old, Bickford has surpassed the 50-inning mark for three consecutive seasons. Despite his recent struggles, he was offered a contract by the Mets, who have been actively acquiring various relievers this offseason. However, since Bickford is out of options, the team will have to either retain him in the major league bullpen or place him on waivers.