Overview
- The agreement pays Cavalli $862,500 for 2026 and includes a $4 million club option for 2027 with a $7,500 buyout.
- Cavalli filed at $900,000 and the Nationals at $825,000, a $75,000 difference that was the smallest among 18 exchanged cases.
- Settling avoids an arbitration hearing, with 17 other players still set for sessions scheduled from Jan. 26 to Feb. 13 in Scottsdale.
- Teams sometimes attach a club option to turn a settlement into a multi-year record that is not used as an arbitration comparator.
- Cavalli, 27, returned from 2023 Tommy John surgery to go 3-1 with a 4.25 ERA in 10 starts in 2025 and is positioned to contend for a rotation role.