Dylan Lee just notched a win off the field - and it could pay dividends on it, too.
The Braves’ left-handed reliever won his arbitration case and will earn $2.2 million for the upcoming season, beating the team’s $2 million filing. It’s a modest difference on paper, but it’s a statement in a system where every dollar - and every precedent - matters.
Lee may not be a household name, but he’s been one of the more quietly effective southpaw setup men in the game. Across just under 200 career appearances, he’s posted a sharp 2.82 ERA - and last season, he logged a career-high 68 1/3 innings with a 3.29 ERA. That’s not just solid - that’s dependable, high-leverage work from the left side.
What really jumps out is the combination of swing-and-miss stuff and control. Lee struck out nearly 29% of the batters he faced last year while walking just 5.3%.
That’s elite territory for a reliever, especially one tasked with bridging the gap to the ninth inning. He led all Braves pitchers with 19 holds and even chipped in two saves, though Raisel Iglesias had the closer’s role on lock all year.
Looking ahead, Lee figures to be one of the Braves’ top two lefties out of the bullpen alongside newly acquired Aaron Bummer. That duo gives Atlanta a pair of experienced southpaws to match up late in games - a key asset in today’s bullpen chess match. And when you factor in the right-handed firepower of Iglesias and Robert Suarez at the back end, this group has the makings of a bullpen that could shorten games in a hurry.
Lee, who qualified for early arbitration last year as a Super Two player, made $1.025 million in 2025. He’ll remain arbitration-eligible for two more seasons, giving the Braves cost control over a high-performing arm - even with the bump in salary.
This was the only arbitration case Atlanta took all the way to a hearing this offseason. And across the league, players have been coming out ahead more often than not, winning seven of the first nine cases decided so far.
For Lee, this win is more than just a paycheck - it’s validation of the work he’s put in to become one of the more reliable bullpen arms in the league. And for the Braves, it’s a reminder that while they’re stacked with star power, it’s guys like Lee who help hold it all together when the games get tight.