Epstein Becker Green Helps the Cleveland Indians Achieve Victory in Salary Arbitration

Epstein Becker Green represented the Cleveland Indians in a salary arbitration with one of their players, relief pitcher Vinnie Pestano. The arbitration took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, and marked the first time since 1991 that the Indians had gone to salary arbitration with one of their players—the longest stretch of time without a salary arbitration in Major League Baseball. Epstein Becker Green presented the Indians’ case to a three-member arbitration panel to determine the pitcher’s salary for the 2014 season. Pestano’s representatives requested a salary of $1.45 million, while the Indians offered $975,000. In baseball arbitration, the panel of arbitrators is restricted to choosing either the player’s proposed salary or the team’s. On February 8, 2014, the arbitrators issued their award in favor of the Indians.