Angels contracts: What to expect prior to the arbitration figure deadline

The Los Angeles Angels have eight players set for arbitration this offseason. The deadline for teams and players to exchange figures is tomorrow, January 13th. Often a lot of deals are settled prior to this deadline, but they don't have to be.

Shohei Ohtani was supposed to hit arbitration but he agreed to a $30 million dollar deal with the Angels to avoid that process. The Angels are likely going to be right up against the luxury tax line, so these contract values will end up being important.

Who are the eight players and what're their projections?

• Hunter Renfroe - $11.2 million
• Gio Urshela - $9.2 million
• Taylor Ward - $2.9 million
• Patrick Sandoval - $2.8 million
• Jared Walsh - $2.7 million
• Luis Rengifo - $2.4 million
• Jaime Barria - $1.2 million
• Griffin Canning - $1.1 million

All projections can be seen at MLBTradeRumors.com.

The Angels are projected to spend roughly $33.5 million dollars with their arbitration-eligible players. Their projected tax payroll is roughly $14 million dollars shy of the first luxury tax threshold. With the Angels needing upgrades in multiple areas, it's likely they'll only get to focus on one or two of them unfortunately.

The arbitration estimates make sense for the most part. Renfroe and Urshela are both in their fourth and final years of arbitration which is why they're going to make much more than the other guys on this list.

Everyone else on this list is entering the first year of arbitration. Taylor Ward and Patrick Sandoval at just under $3 million each feels like a steal especially when someone like Luis Rengifo who's really only been good for half of a season is projected to make slightly less.

With the deadline coming, it wouldn't be surprising to see a player or two agree to a deal to avoid arbitration today or tomorrow. Arbitration is a grueling process that pins the player and team up against each other and that's something the player and team should want to avoid.

Even with the deadline to exchange figures coming up, teams and players can still negotiate and try to come up with a deal to avoid arbitration anytime until the arbitration date. The hearings are usually done in late January or early February but last season with the lockout some even carried into the season.

The Angels are a team that typically avoids arbitration. Brian Goodwin is the only player who made it to arbitration in the last decade, as he won his case in 2020 earning $2.2 million instead of $1.85 million. Avoiding arbitration is for the best, and that's what I'd expect to happen in the coming weeks with these eight players.