MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee Brewers have agreed to one-year contracts with infielders Hernan Perez and Jonathan Villar, and pitchers Corey Knebel and Jimmy Nelson--avoiding arbitration.
The #Brewers have agreed to 1-year contracts with INF/OF Hernán Pérez, 2B Jonathan Villar, RHP Corey Knebel and RHP Jimmy Nelson, avoiding arbitration. No players remain eligible for arbitration. pic.twitter.com/L7jM7s2TrP
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) January 12, 2018
No more arbitration eligible players remain.
The biggest raise in salary was granted to Brewers closer Corey Knebel, who saw his paycheck soar from 538,000 to 3.65 million in 2018.
#Brewers closer Corey Knebel gets healthy raise to $3.65 million
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 12, 2018
An All-Star last season, Knebel collected 39 saves and 126 strikeouts in 76 games. More famously, he set the MLB single-season record with 45 consecutive games with a strikeout. His 126 K's also set the Brewers franchise record for strikeouts in a season, which was previously 99.
However, Knebel was lucky to get a pay raise, just barely making super two status.
All players with 3+ years of service are eligible for salary arbitration, but if they rank in the top 22 percent of service time among players between two and three years of service, they are also eligible.
Knebel's current service time is 2.151 years, just above the six-year average of 2.136.
Jimmy Nelson signed for about the same amount as Knebel, setting for 3.7 million.
Jimmy Nelson settled with the Brewers for $3.7M, according to a source.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) January 12, 2018
But the problem with Nelson is he won't be putting all that money to good use in 2018.
After suffering a partially torn labrum during his last start of 2018, Nelson is expected to miss an undefined chunk of 2018.
After a disappointing season, Jonathan Villar settled for 2.55 million.
Jonathan Villar settled with the Brewers for $2.55 million, per a source. Not surprisingly, he's said to be extremely motivated to re-establish himself in 2018.
— Adam McCalvy (@AdamMcCalvy) January 12, 2018
In 2016, Villar set the base paths and the MLB on fire with a league-leading 62 stolen bags, but took a step back in 2017, stealing only 32 bases and hitting a measly .241.
The figures for Perez haven't been reported yet.
