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Paul Skenes Sets MLB Record With $3.44 Million Pre-Arbitration Bonus

The record payout underscores how MLB’s 2022 bonus pool channels significant money to award-winning players before arbitration.

Overview

  • Skenes will receive $3,436,343 from MLB’s pre-arbitration pool for 2025, surpassing Bobby Witt Jr.’s $3,077,595 mark from 2024.
  • The payments come from a $50 million annual pool created in the 2022 CBA for pre-arb players who earn top award finishes or All-MLB honors.
  • Of Skenes’ payout, $2.5 million is tied to his NL Cy Young award, with the balance determined by the pool’s performance formula.
  • His cumulative pre-arbitration pool earnings now total $5,588,400, alongside MLB salaries of $564,946 in 2024 and $875,000 in 2025.
  • Trade speculation linking Skenes to the Yankees persists, though he says he is focused on winning with the Pirates, as local talk suggests ownership may be more open to free-agent spending without confirmed moves yet.