Reds’ Ashcraft, Rays’ Uceta continue player arbitration wins

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Pitchers Graham Ashcraft and Edwin Uceta won their salary arbitration cases Friday, improving players to 5-0 this year.

Ashcraft was awarded $1.75 million rather than the Cincinnati Reds’ $1.25 million offer in a case heard Thursday by Keith Greenberg, Howard Edelman and Rob Herman.

Uceta will be paid $1,525,000 rather than the Tampa Bay Rays’ $1.2 million proposal. That case was heard on Jan. 29 by Janice Johnston, Alan Ponak and Melinda Gordon, and the decision was kept sealed until Friday so as not to impact Ashcraft’s hearing.

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A right-hander who turns 28 next week, Ashcraft was 8-5 with a 3.99 ERA in 62 relief appearances last year, striking out 64 and walking 25 in 65⅓ innings. He had a $780,000 salary and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.

Ashcraft is 25-25 with a 4.76 ERA in four major league seasons.

Uceta also was eligible for arbitration for the first time after going 10-3 with a 3.79 ERA in 70 relief appearances last year, when he had an $815,000 salary. He was a so-called Super Two, eligible because he has 2 years, 150 days of major league service — 10 days above the cutoff for this year’s arbitration class.

Baltimore Orioles left-hander Keegan Akin went to a hearing Friday, asking for $3,375,000 rather than the Orioles’ $2,975,000 offer. A decision is expected Saturday.

A 30-year-old left-hander, Akin was 5-4 with a 3.41 ERA and eight saves in 64 relief appearances last season, striking out 59 and walking 33 in 63 1/3 innings. He had a $1,475,000 salary.

Akin has a 16-22 record with a 4.48 ERA and 11 saves in six major league seasons, all with the Orioles. He can become a free agent after this year’s World Series.

Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case Thursday when he was awarded an arbitration-record $32 million rather than the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer.

In other decisions, right-hander Kyle Bradish was awarded $3.55 million instead of the Baltimore Orioles’ offer of $2,875,000, and catcher Yainer Diaz received $4.5 million instead of the Houston Astros’ $3 million proposal.

Two cases have been argued with decisions withheld until next week: Toronto left-hander Eric Lauer ($5.75 million vs. $4.4 million) and Atlanta left-hander Dylan Lee ($2.2 million vs. $2 million).

Five players remained scheduled for hearings, which run through Feb. 13: Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic ($6.15 million vs. $5.15 million), Milwaukee catcher Willson Contreras ($9.9 million vs. $8.55 million), Los Angeles Angels left-hander Reid Detmers ($2,925,000 vs. $2,625,000), Miami right-hander Calvin Faucher ($2.05 million vs. $1.8 million) and Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson ($6.8 million vs $6.55 million).