SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. \u2014 Pitchers Graham Ashcraft and Edwin Uceta won their salary arbitration cases Friday, improving players to 5-0 this year.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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 65 1\/3 innings. He had a $780,000 salary and was eligible for arbitration for the first time.<\/p>\n
Ashcraft is 25-25 with a 4.76 ERA in four major league seasons.<\/p>\n
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 \u2014 10 days above the cutoff for this year\u2019s arbitration class.<\/p>\n
Baltimore left-hander Keegan Akin went to a hearing Friday, asking for $3,375,000 rather than the Orioles’ $2,975,000 offer. A decision by John Stout, Jeanne Charles and Samantha Tower is expected Saturday.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Two-time Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal won his case Thursday<\/a> when he was awarded an arbitration-record $32 million rather than the Detroit Tigers’ $19 million offer.<\/p>\n