New York Yankees Win Arbitration Hearing Against Reliever

The New York Yankees were able to save some salary by winning their arbitration ruling against one of their relievers.

Oct 19, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Mark Leiter Jr. (38) pitches during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game five of the ALCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The New York Yankees aren't a penny-pinching team by any means, but even they have some limitations on what they're comfortable spending.

That was part of the reason why Juan Soto ended up with their crosstown rival, but the front office did a good job of taking that allocated money and spending it elsewhere, improving the entirety of the roster in the process.

With the Yankees looking at other players they can add to the mix before Spring Training begins, it seems like their spending is not quite done yet.

That's why they got some good news on Saturday when the arbitration ruling they had with Mark Leiter Jr. went in their favor, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post.

The reliever was seeking $2.5 million but he'll get a figure of $2.05 million, something that saves New York around $500,000.

While that's not a huge number by any means, every bit helps when it comes to going after some additional players on the open market, especially if they get involved in a potential bidding war.

It's never fun for a team and player to hit arbitration, especially when that player has another year of club control remaining like Leiter, but by winning this ruling, the Yankees have now saved some extra cash they otherwise would have had to pay.

New York added Leiter to the mix at the trade deadline, acquiring him from the Chicago Cubs.

He got into 21 games and pitched to a 4.98 ERA and 84 ERA+, not exactly numbers that blew anyone away.

However, he's expected to be a key piece out of the bullpen for the Yankees this year, and if he performs well at this reduced salary, he could be one of the most cost-effective players on this roster.