Nats avoid arbitration with Robles, add club option for 2024

For the second straight year, the Nationals and Victor Robles filed for arbitration. And for the second straight year, they ultimately avoided an actual arbitration hearing, agreeing to a salary figure before reaching the courtroom.

The Nats announced today they settled with Robles on a one-year contract for 2023, while also agreeing to a club option for 2024.

The deal establishes a $2.325 million salary for Robles this season, according to the Associated Press, only slightly more than the $2.3 million the team was offering him through arbitration. Robles had been seeking $2.6 million, with a hearing before a three-judge panel set to take place in the coming days. 

This whole process, of course, was quite familiar to both parties. One year ago, Robles and the Nationals filed for arbitration, the player seeking $2.1 million while the team offered $1.6 million. They wound up settling at $1.65 million before going to a hearing.

Robles proceeded to labor through another frustrating season, batting a mere .224 with six homers, 33 RBIs, a .273 on-base percentage and career-worst .584 OPS across 407 plate appearances. He did rediscover his top defensive form in center field, finishing with 12 Defensive Runs Saved while being named a finalist for the Gold Glove Award.

With a host of promising prospects headlined by James Wood, Robert Hassell III and Elijah Green, the Nationals believe they’ll be set in the outfield for the long haul. None, however, is big-league-ready yet, with Hassell the only of the group with a shot to make his major league debut by the end of the 2023 season.

That would seem to give Robles at least one more shot at realizing his full potential and establishing himself as part of the organization’s long-term plan after three straight disappointing seasons following his solid rookie campaign.

Robles isn’t eligible to become a free agent until 2025, so today’s agreement of the club option for 2024 is a bit unusual. It does, however, pre-establish a salary for him ($3.3 million, according to the AP) if the Nationals want to retain him at that number.

If the Nats don't pick up the option, though, Robles would still remain under club control and would need to go through the arbitration process yet again next winter to establish his 2024 salary.