Some Philadelphia Phillies players have received a nice bonus at an opportune time with the holiday season upon us — although it’s unlikely that any of them are hurting for cash this time of year.
Three Phillies received a bonus payout in accordance with the 2024 Major League Baseball pre-arbitration bonus pool as set out in the collective bargaining agreement with the MLBPA. If you haven’t heard of this before, the bonus pool money is awarded each December to the top 100 pre-arbitration players based on performance from the previous season. Each team contributes to the pool, and the amount is divided up and handed out based on finishes in award voting and a "Joint WAR" formula.
Trio of Phillies receive nice bonus payouts just in time for the holidays
None of the Phillies got the top amounts like Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. ($3.08 million) or Pittsburgh Pirates rookie ace Paul Skenes ($2.15 million), but they did alright for themselves.
Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez was the top Phillies earner, taking home a cool $576,282 bonus. He compiled 4.7 fWAR and 3.4 bWAR, putting together an 11-9 record with a 3.32 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in a career-high 181 2/3 innings. It’s not the only nice payday Sánchez received this year either. The Phillies signed the 28-year-old to a four-year, $22.5 million extension in June.
Outfielder Brandon Marsh earned $314,051 thanks to his 2.4 fWAR and 3.1 bWAR. The 27-year-old finished the season hitting .249 with a .747 OPS, and career-highs with 16 home runs, 60 RBI and 19 stolen bases.
His biggest flaw was that he didn't improve against left-handed pitching, as the team had been counting on. After getting by with a .229 average against lefties in 2023, Mrash struggled mightily this past season with a .192 average. He's still in the Phillies' outfield plans for 2025, but whether they can count on him to even hold his own against left-handers is another matter.
With 1.9 fWAR and 2.5 bWAR, second baseman Bryson Stott earned $251,338 from the bonus pool. The 27-year-old took a step back this season, hitting .245 with a .671 OPS, with 11 homers, 57 RBI and 65 runs scored — all lower than 2023. He did lead the team and set a new career-high with 32 steals, however.
Like Marsh, Stott scuffled against left-handed pitching and found himself in platoon territory by the end of the year. His struggles at the plate might be explained by a mysterious elbow problem he dealt with during the season, an injury we only learned about during the Winter Meetings earlier this month.