When is the MLB Arbitration deadline? Astros players who are eligible & more

The MLB arbitration deadline is quickly approaching. Unlike the non-tender deadline when players are on pins and needles wondering about their future with the franchise, the arbitration deadline doesn't offer the doom-and-gloom scenario.

It is, however, an opportunity for players to turn their production from the previous season into cold-hard cash. For those unfamiliar with the way arbitration works, players with more than three years of service time and less than six are eligible for arbitration. The process allows the team and the player to agree to financial terms for the upcoming season.

If the two sides are unable to come to an agreement, an arbiter is required to settle the dispute. While it's not uncommon for clubs to view a player's value a bit differently than the player himself might, more times than not the two sides are able to find common ground. So when is the MLB arbitration deadline, which Houston Astros players are eligible, and how much might they receive?

When is the MLB Arbitration deadline?

The deadline for teams and players to come to terms on an amicable salary for the 2024 season is 8:00 PM on this Thursday, January 11th. It was previously scheduled for Fri., January 12, and was changed on Wednesday. Seriously. If the two sides do not see eye-to-eye, arbitration is necessary, and the team and player will meet for a hearing sometime in late-January or early-February.

The Houston Astros have already tendered contracts to the players on their 40-man roster who are eligible for arbitration, so Friday's deadline marks the final date when the two sides can exchange numbers.

Which Astros players are eligible for arbitration?

The Houston Astros actually have seven players who'll be up for arbitration this winter. Some of those players will receive quite the pay raise after a very successfull 2023 campaign.

Right-handed pitchers Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia, and Bryan Abreu, left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez, infielder Maricio Dubon, and outfielders Kyle Tucker and Chas McCormick are all eligible for arbitration this offseason.

What are the projected salaries for the Astros arbitration-eligible players?

If MLB Trade Rumors' arbitration projections are correct, the Houston Astros may be doling out upwards of $38.5 million to the aforementioned seven players. Kyle Tucker is predicted to be the big earner of the group, though Framber Valdez might not be far behind.

• Kyle Tucker: $12.6 million
• Framber Valdez: $12.1 million
• Jose Urquidy: $3.5 million
• Chas McCormick: $3.1 million
• Mauricio Dubon: $3.1 million
• Luis Garcia: $2.1 million
• Bryan Abreu: $2 million

This is the second time through the arbitration process for the trio of Tucker, Valdez, and Jose Urquidy. This is the first year that the other four players (Chas McCormick, Mauricio Dubon, Luis Garcia, and Bryan Abreu) are eligible for arbitration.

The Houston Astros have been relatively quiet this offseason. Outside of signing Victor Caratini, Houston has kept a low-profile. While there are no surprises expected during the upcoming arbitration deadline, it will give the Astros a more concrete understanding of their payroll heading into the 2024 season.