Cubs avoid arbitration with Kyle Schwarber

The numbers came out in dribs and drabs instead of being announced all at once, but after waiting through most of Friday, we now have the 2020 contract number for Kyle Schwarber, the final of the six arbitration-eligible Cubs to be signed:

$7,010,000 is $990,000 less than the MLB Trade Rumors projection for Schwarber of $8 million. It’s also kind of an unusual number: $10,000 over $7 million? Why?

Anyway, the running total now has the Cubs “ahead” $540,000 from MLBTR’s projected numbers. Whether that means anything or not for the payroll in the long run, or whether the Cubs now go out and make any moves, remains to be seen.

I’ll try to put together updated payroll figures and have them here early next week.

It’s generally Cubs policy not to announce contract figures; as I have posted here all day, the numbers generally come from local or national writers. It’ll be the same when the Cubs send out a press release officially announcing the signings. Those releases usually simply state: “Terms of the deal were not disclosed.”

I’ve got to say, though, some teams do announce these numbers. The White Sox, for example:

I like that sort of transparency. I wish the Cubs would do the same.

So, the Cubs won’t have anyone going to an arbitration hearing in 2020. That’s a good thing. The first spring training game is six weeks from tomorrow.