The Cubs agreed to contracts for the 2019 season with all seven arbitration-eligible players on Friday, avoiding any hearings and hurt feelings in February. And in the process of signing those players, the Cubs saved a little bit of money.
The biggest surprise was Javier Baez only getting $5.2 million from the Cubs. The National League MVP runner-up is still getting a healthy raise from his $657,000 salary from 2018, but he was projected to earn about $7.1 million.
Baez still has two more years left of arbitration before he can become a free agent. Meanwhile, Addison Russell agreed to a $3.4 million salary that includes roster incentives that would earn him $4 million if he remains on the active roster for 150 days after coming back from his suspension for domestic violence.
And that's pretty much how the Cubs saved some money if you go by the MLB Trade Rumors arbitration projections.
The Cubs also settled salaries with Kris Bryant, Kyle Hendricks, Kyle Schwarber, Mike Montgomery and Carl Edwards Jr.
The salaries are set for 2019, and the Cubs still need to add at least one reliever. At this point the team is right at the second tier of the luxury tax and with a few other additions needed and making room for any in-season moves, they're going to be close to the $246 million luxury payroll, so why not just OK a move for Bryce Harper??? Looking at you, Ricketts.
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