The Boston Red Sox have won their first arbitration hearing in over a decade.
The team announced Tuesday an arbitration panel found in the Red Sox’s favor in its hearing against reliever Fernando Abad. The left-hander will earn $2 million in 2017 rather than the $2.7 million he was looking for, per The Providence Journal’s Tim Britton and ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber.
Abad came to the Red Sox via a trade with the Minnesota Twins at the 2016 non-waiver trade deadline, but the second half of the season didn’t go so hot for the 30-year-old. After turning in a 2.65 ERA for the Twins, Abad gave up nine earned runs over just 12 2/3 innings with the Red Sox and handed out eight walks.
Still, Abad held lefty batters to a .153 average and .459 OPS in 2016, so he fills a need for the Red Sox, as Robbie Ross Jr. is the only other left-handed reliever guaranteed to crack the major league roster.
It was the Red Sox’s first arbitration hearing since 2002 with Rolando Arrojo and the first in Major League Baseball this season.
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
