NEW YORK — Two-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder Tyler O'Neill went to a salary arbitration hearing with the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, asking a three-man panel to award him $4.15 million rather than the team's $3.4 million offer.
A decision from arbitrators Mark Burstein, Brian Keller and John Stout is not expected for several weeks. The three heard the case remotely.
O'Neill set career bests last year with a .286 average, 34 homers and 80 RBIs, finishing eighth in NL MVP voting. He is hitting .213 with two homers and 19 RBIs this season.
In his fifth major league season, O'Neill has a .256 average with 57 homers and 157 RBIs.
He made $604,700 last year and is eligible for arbitration for the first time. No statistics or evidence from after March 1 are admissible other than contract and salary comparisons, timing set when Major League Baseball and the players’ association agreed to the deal that ended the lockout.
O'Neill's case was the third argued after Milwaukee right-hander Adrian Houser and Seattle second baseman/outfielder Adam Frazier.
Seventeen additional players remain eligible for arbitration, with hearings scheduled through June 24. Players scheduled for hearings include New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Atlanta outfielder Adam Duvall, shortstop Dansby Swanson, pitcher Max Fried and third baseman Austin Riley, New York Mets pitcher Chris Bassitt, Kansas City outfielder Andrew Benintendi, Minnesota catcher Gary Sánchez and Philadelphia pitcher Zach Eflin.