Arbitration hearings aren't always fun, but they're part of the business-side of baseball. For those unfamiliar with the process, when players — with more than three years, but less than six years, of service time — and teams can't agree on a salary for the upcoming season, the two sides will have an arbiter decide the financial compensation.
The Houston Astros had two high-profile arbitration cases this offseason after failing to come to terms with infielder Isaac Paredes and catcher Yainer Diaz. Paredes' fate is not yet known, but after hearing the case for Diaz earlier this week, the arbiter has handed down his ruling, and Astros now have a clearer picture of their payroll heading into the upcoming season.