The MLB salary arbitration deadline is here. With multiple stars looking to increase their salaries, arbitration is their biggest opportunity to do that before entering free agency. While there have been numbers floating around regarding the deadline, the actual information is finally here.

With teams and players set to enter arbitration today, it’s an interesting time for the fans. Today we’ll find out what the actual salaries of players would be and how the payrolls of big franchises will shape up. While reports had previously indicated the agreement deadline was 8 p.m. but now, as it turns out, that isn’t quite right. 

Salary Arbitration and its effect on MLB

Salary arbitration is one of the most important components that ensures fair pay for players. Each year, players between three to six years of MLB experience enter into negotiations with their teams regarding their salary for that year. There’s a deadline for this before things go to arbitration. ESPN’s Jeff Passan has revealed that this year the deadline is 1 p.m. ET on Thursday. 

What this means is that teams and players have until 1 p.m. to get into an agreement regarding the players’ salary. If they fail, then both parties will be forced to enter into an arbitration where the salary will be decided by the third party. In that case, both parties will have to submit their salary numbers by 8 p.m.. 

After this, the process will go to the arbitration panel wherein both the player and the team will have to argue about their number. Eventually, the salary will be decided by the panel and that would be it. This process ensures that players who’ve performed exceptionally well in MLB get their due payment before free agency. 

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Before entering into a free agency, most players are signed to a relatively low contract. As a result, instead of getting stuck to that number despite great performances, they can negotiate to increase their pay. This year too multiple players have entered the arbitration.

Players to look out for this offseason

The first name is Juan Soto, who is expected to earn a massive pay in his final arbitration. But things are expected to go smoothly for the Dominican slugger as the New York Yankees look willing to pay him. Other than him there’s the Mets’ Pete Alonso, Brewers’ Corbin Burnes, White Sox’s Dylan Cease, and Braves’ Max Fried.

Cease and Burnes are the interesting names here as both are big trade targets this year. After salary arbitration, it’ll be clear what the actual costs will be for a team. While this will be the final arbitration for Alonso and Fried. This certainly looks like a day to keep one’s eyes on.

Read more: What Is Juan Soto’s Salary With the Yankees?