Garza, Samardzija, Russell file for arbitration
This is the first year Samardzija and Russell are arbitration eligible, while Garza is in his final year of arbitration and will be a free agent after this season.
The three players and the Cubs will exchange salary figures on Friday. If the two sides cannot reach an agreement, there will be a hearing sometime between Feb. 1-21 in front of an independent arbitrator.
Garza avoided arbitration last year, signing a one-year, $9.5 million contract with the Cubs. There had been some discussion regarding a long-term deal for the right-hander. He was limited to 18 starts because of a right elbow injury, which forced him to shut down after July 21.
Samardzija, who was 9-13 with a 3.81 ERA in his first full season as a starter, made $2.64 million last season, while Russell, who appeared in a career-high 77 games, made $512,500.