Zac Gallen and Josh Naylor Settle Arbitration with Diamondbacks

Both Gallen and Naylor reached agreement below industry estimates

Aug 4, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen (23) walks on the field before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Note: This article has been updated with additional information in the table below.

According to reports from FanSided's Robert Murray on X, Arizona Diamondbacks ace starting pitcher Zac Gallen and new first baseman Josh Naylor have settled their 2025 salaries, thus avoiding arbitration hearings.

Gallen, in the final year of team control before free agency, settled for $13.5 million. This amount is slightly below estimates provided by MLB Trade Rumors and Spotrac.

Naylor, also in his final arbitration-eligible year signed for $10.9 million. This amount is significantly below estimates.

Naylor was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians this offseason in exchange for Slade Cecconi and a compensation round B draft pick. He will take over first base from Christian Walker, who departed via free agency and signed with the Houston Astros.

Gallen and Naylor are not the only Diamondbacks to settle their 2025 contracts and avoid arbitration hearings. All of the other seven players who were arbitration eligible have settled. That includes Kevin Ginkel, Kyle Nelson, Geraldo Perdomo, A.J. Puk, Joe Mantiply, Ryan Thompson, and Pavin Smith.

The table below shows the estimated amounts from MLB Trade Rumors and Spotrac, as well as the actual amounts reported. The D-backs ended up coming in slightly below the estimates of MLB Trade Rumors, and roughly $2.5 million below the estimates from Spotrac.

Arizona Diamondbacks 2025 Arbitration Salaries / Jack Sommers

Players are under team control for the first six years of service time in MLB. For the first three years players are guaranteed the league minimum, which is $760,000 for 2025. Typically there are then three seasons in which the players are arbitration eligible. There are exceptions to that, known as "Super 2" in which the players have four arbitration eligible seasons.

If the two sides are not able to reach agreement, then each submits a number before an arbiter who weighs the arguments and makes a ruling, choosing one side or the other.

For a fuller explanation of the process you can refer to the MLB Glossary.

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