Braves, Dylan Lee Could Be Arbitration Hearing Bound to Settle Salary Gap

Despite being pretty close regarding dollar amounts, the Atlanta Braves and their left-handed reliever may require a hearing to settle next season's salary

The Atlanta Braves and Dylan Lee are close in dollar amount, but need arbitration | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves and lefty Dylan Lee are working toward a deal for the 2026 season. However, it could require an arbitrator to settle the matter. ESPN's Jeff Passan listed 18 players who could be bound for arbitration hearings, including Lee.

Lee is seeking to make $2.2 million next season, while the Braves were eyeing $2 million flat. Either would be a pay increase of double or more. He made just over $1 million in 2025. However, Lee thinks he's worth just a bit more.

A deal can still be reached ahead of a potential hearing. The contract must be for at least one year, but it can also be a multi-year deal.

Lee is coming off another strong year in 2025. He pitched to a 3.29 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP across a career high 74 appearances. That WHIP was a career best as well. He saw a decrease in baserunners overall. However, the long ball caused him more trouble this year. His 1.7 home runs per nine innings was the highest of his career.

A rough patch over four games in August inflates his stats a bit. Remove the six earned runs over the 2 1/3 innings pitched in that span, and he has a 2.59 ERA over the remaining 66 innings of work. He was a pivotal piece of the Braves' bullpen last season, and he can be expected to be just that again.

Lee was one of five players who were tendered a contract before the deadline back in November. However, he is the only one who still has to settle. Eli White, Jose Suarez, Joey Wentz and Mauricio Dubón all had their contracts figured out quickly.

According to MLB.com, if a team and the arbitration-eligible player have not agreed on a salary by a deadline (which was Thursday this year), the club and player must exchange salary figures for the upcoming season.

After the figures are exchanged, a hearing is scheduled (typically in February). Teams and players are still free to continue negotiating on a contract up until the hearing date. If no one-year or multi-year settlement can be reached by the hearing date, the case is brought before a panel of arbitrators. After hearing arguments from both sides, the panel selects either the player- or team-submitted salary figure (but not one in between) as the player's salary for the upcoming season.