UPDATE: All the Cubs’ arb-eligible players are now signed; see below for the amounts.
The deadline for teams settling with arbitration-eligible players has passed. One of the reasons this deadline is more important this year than in previous years is explained by Craig Calcaterra at Hardball Talk:
Last fall, however, Ken Rosenthal reported something that got very little notice at the time: the players’ union believes that all 30 teams will take a “file-and-trial” approach to arbitration this winter. We don’t know that to be true, but the union thinks it so and Rosenthal, who is the best-connected reporter in the game and who tends not to put wild theories out there, gave it enough credence to run with it.
Some teams have settled with some players, but essentially, the “file-and-trial” approach means teams won’t be negotiating with players between now and whenever the hearings are scheduled. In the past, some teams have settled with players in the interim. Jeff Passan at Yahoo has an excellent explainer of how this entire process works, definitely worth a read.
There are the Cubs players who have been reported to settle with the team as of the time of this post: Kyle Hendricks, Kyle Schwarber and Mike Montgomery. The deadline was 12 noon Central time; all figures had to be in by then but some have not yet been reported. I will update this post when other signings/filings are announced.
Kyle Hendricks, Cubs settle at $7.405 M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 11, 2019
Schwarber avoids arbitration, signs for $3.39m
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) January 11, 2019
Montgomery avoids arbitration with $2.44m deal
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) January 11, 2019
And, here is where we stand with the seven arb-eligible Cubs players as of now:
Cubs arbitration eligible players for 2019
Player | BCB estimate | Final salary |
---|---|---|
Player | BCB estimate | Final salary |
Kris Bryant | $13,000,000 | $12,900,000 |
Kyle Hendricks | $8,200,000 | $7,405,000 |
Javier Baez | $6,200,000 | $5,200,000 |
Addison Russell | $4,250,000 | $3,400,000 |
Kyle Schwarber | $3,200,000 | $3,390,000 |
Mike Montgomery | $2,300,000 | $2,440,000 |
Carl Edwards Jr. | $1,700,000 | $1,500,000 |
TOTAL | $38,850,000 | $36,235,000 |
Figures and/or signings are not yet announced for Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, Carl Edwards Jr. and Addison Russell. I will add the numbers to the table above when those four players are either signed, or they and the team announce arbitration filing numbers. Based on the articles above, I think we can assume that those four are going to go to arb hearings, as the Cubs (as are many other teams) appear to be going the file-and-trial route. I’ll update this portion of the article if those four players do sign and don’t go to a hearing.
We certainly live in interesting baseball times.
UPDATE: Carl Edwards Jr. is signed, slightly below the BCB estimate:
Source: The Cubs and reliever Carl Edwards Jr. have settled on a one-year, $1.5 million contract, avoiding arbitration.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) January 11, 2019
UPDATE: Addison Russell came in below the BCB estimate — even if he makes the incentives:
Russell avoids arb, agrees to 3.4m deal that’s worth up to 4m based on how many days he is on active roster
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) January 11, 2019
UPDATE: The Cubs won’t go to any arb hearings in 2019 as KB and Javy have signed:
Cubs avoid arbitration with both Kris Bryant ($12.9 million) and Javier Baez ($5.2 million).
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) January 11, 2019