As expected, the Braves made a one-year, $15.3 million offer to Ervin Santana, assuring the team of a compensatory draft pick if the free-agent pitcher declines the offer and signs elsewhere.
A year ago, the Braves gave up a first-round draft pick to sign Santana to a one-year, $14.1 million deal midway through spring training after injuries to several other pitchers left them shorthanded. They paid him the same amount as the Royals’ qualifying offer Santana had declined after the 2013 season.
If he takes the qualifying offer this time, Santana would be the Braves’ highest-paid player in 2015, but with a salary not out of line for a pitcher of his ilk. If he declines — players receiving qualifying offers have one week to decide — the Braves would get a “sandwich” pick created between the first and second rounds of the June draft.
Santana missed a couple of starts in 2014 after not signing until the middle of spring training and not debuting until April 9, but still ranked third among Braves pitchers in innings (196) while going 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA. He was second on the team in strikeouts with 179, a rate of 8.2 per nine innings that was his best since 2008.
The qualifying offer is the average of the top 125 major league salaries the previous season. The amount was $14.1 million a year ago and has climbed eight percent for 2015 — high enough that some agents and team executives believe at least one or two free agents might accept the offer this time.
The Braves say they wouldn’t be uncomfortable paying him $15.3 million next seaon, which is less than what many comparable free agents would average in a multi-year deal on the current market. Santana has a 3.88 ERA in his past five seasons, and his 1036 1/3 innings pitched in that span ranks ninth in the majors.
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