Detroit Tigers tender contracts to eight arbitration-eligible players for 2022 season

The Detroit Tigers tendered contracts to eight eligible players for 2022: Jeimer Candelario, Michael Fulmer, Jose Cisnero, Joe Jimenez, Spencer Turnbull, Dustin Garneau, Harold Castro and Victor Reyes.

The only non-tendered player: left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd, who officially became a free agent at Tuesday's 8 p.m. tender deadline.

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Although salaries for 2022 aren't locked in, it's the first step in the process. The Tigers will negotiate contracts with the players through the arbitration process. If the two sides can't agree on a salary, each party must exchange numbers and prepare for an arbitration hearing.

If they can't settle on a contract before the hearing, the case goes to a panel of arbitrators in February.

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To keep these players, the Tigers will pay roughly $20.9 million, estimated by a model from MLB Trade Rumors. Candelario is projected to earn $5.9 million, Fulmer $5.1 million, Cisnero $1.9 million, Jimenez $1.8 million, Turnbull $1.8 million, Garneau $1.6 million, Castro $1.5 million and Reyes $1.3 million.

Had the Tigers non-tendered those players, they would have become free agents. Players with three or more years of MLB service but less than six years of service are eligible for salary arbitration if they don't have a contract for the upcoming season.

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him on Twitter @EvanPetzold. Read more on the Detroit Tigers and sign up for our Tigers newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers tender contracts to 8 players for 2022