The Rays and lefty pitcher Drew Smyly argued baseball's first arbitration case Wednesday in Phoenix over a difference of $550,000.
A three-member panel will to announce a decision today between the Rays' offer of $3.2 million for this season and Smyly's request for $3.75 million.
Either way, Smyly gets a solid raise from the $2.65 million he made last season while making only 12 starts due to a shoulder injury that landed him on the disabled list twice. Smyly finished 5-2 with a 3.11 earned-run average.
The Rays, who were represented by senior vice president general counsel John Higgins, are 6-0 in arbitration hearings.
Also, the Rays signed right-hander Adam Reifer to a minor-league deal with an invitation to spring camp. Reifer, 29, spent last season pitching in Mexico after spending most of the previous four at the Triple-A level in the St. Louis, Miami and San Francisco organizations.