Los Angeles Angels beat José Suarez in salary arbitration

Left-hander José Suarez lost to the Los Angeles Angels in salary arbitration on Friday, giving teams a 2-0 advantage in decisions this year.

Suarez was awarded a $925,000 salary rather than his $1.35 million request. Joshua Gordon, Walt De Treux and Howard Edelman heard the case a day earlier.

The 26-year-old Suarez was 1-3 with an 8.29 ERA in seven starts and four relief appearances, earning $750,000. He was sidelined between May 7 and Sept. 13 by a strained left shoulder.

Miami outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. lost a day earlier and will earn $2,625,000 rather than $2.9 million. Decisions are pending involving Baltimore outfielder Austin Hays and Orioles reliever Jacob Webb.

Outfielder Taylor Ward argued his case with the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, asking for a raise from $2.75 million to $4.8 million while the team argued for $4.3 million. A decision by Jeanne Vonhof, Margaret Brogan and Jasbir Parmer is expected next week.

The 30-year-old Ward hit .253 last year with 14 homers and 47 RBIs, down from a .281 average with 23 homers and 65 RBIs in 2022. His season ended July 29 when he was hit on the head by a 91 mph fastball from Toronto's Alek Manoah and sustained facial fractures.

Eighteen players were scheduled for hearings, which run through Feb. 16. Among them are Toronto star Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has asked for $19.9 million and has been offered $18.05 million. If the case doesn’t settle, it would be the highest salary awarded in arbitration win or lose, topping the $14 million Seattle outfielder Teoscar Hernández received after he lost his hearing last year.