Report: Rays win arbitration case against Niemann

St. Petersburg, FL – The Rays have won their arbitration case hander Jeff Niemann, the Tampa Bay Times reported Friday.

The 6-foot-9 Niemann, who turns 29 later this month, will earn $2.75 million this season rather than the $3.2 million he sought.

Niemann went 11-7 with a 4.06 earned run average in 23 starts last season, when he made $903,000. He spent six weeks on the disabled list with a strained back.

Selected by Tampa Bay with the fourth overall pick in the 2004 draft, Niemann has gone 38-23 with a 4.16 ERA since reaching the majors in 2008.