Osuna loses arbitration case with Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna lost his arbitration case with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday.

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO - Roberto Osuna came out on the short end of his first trip into salary arbitration on Saturday and will earn $5.3M in 2018, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Osuna, 22, pitched to an ERA of 3.38 with 83 strikeouts against only nine walks through 66 appearances in 2017. In his third season at the major league level, the hard-throwing product of Juan Jose Rios, Mexico converted 39 saves in 49 attempts and produced a career-best HR/9 total 0.4 on the season.

Selected to the All-Star Game for the first time last summer, Osuna --who earned a base salary of $552,400 in 2017-- filed at $5.8M while the Blue Jays countered with a $5.3M offer.

Of the eight Blue Jays that were eligible for salary arbitration in 2018, the team reached formal agreements with all but two last month. This left righties Marcus Stroman and Osuna exposed to the hearing process.

With a gap of $400,000 currently separating the Blue Jays and Stroman, his case is next on the docket.

Both parties have until February 16 to reach an agreement.

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