9 arbitration-eligible Cubs likely to get offers
One of those, NL Cy Young Award winner Arrieta, to land substantial raise
CHICAGO -- The good news for the Cubs is that Jake Arrieta is under team control for two more seasons. The question now is, how much of a raise will the National League Cy Young Award winner get?
Arrieta is one of nine Cubs who are arbitration-eligible. Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. CT is the deadline for teams to decide which players they will tender a contract.
Besides Arrieta, the list also includes pitchers Travis Wood, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, Justin Grimm, Ryan Cook, Rex Brothers, Clayton Richard and outfielder Chris Coghlan, and all were expected to be tendered.
Arrieta made $3.63 million in 2015 when he led the Major Leagues with 22 wins and posted a 1.77 ERA. The right-hander will be a free agent after the 2017 season, and the Cubs have indicated they'd like to talk about a possible long-term deal. But Arrieta, who will get a significant raise in 2016, could wait until he hits the market.
Wood, who began the season in the rotation, then made a successful switch to the bullpen, made $5.685 million last season. Strop was paid $2.525 million last season, Rondon $544,000, Grimm $531,500, and Coghlan $2.505 million. This is the first year Rondon and Grimm are arbitration-eligible.
Rondon set a personal high with 34 saves, and compiled his best ERA (1.67), appearing in a career-high 72 games. Strop also set career highs in games (76) and innings (68), while Grimm posted a 1.99 ERA in 62 games.
The Cubs claimed Cook off waivers from the Red Sox in early November, and acquired Brothers from the Rockies for Minor League left-hander Wander Cabrera last week.
Richard, who the Cubs acquired in a trade with the Pirates in July, appeared in 23 games, making three spot starts, and became the prime lefty in the postseason, giving up three hits over 4 2/3 scoreless innings.