By Bruce Levine–
CHICAGO (CBS) — Jake Arrieta and the Cubs avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $15.6 million on Friday, solidifying his place for 2017. The agreement on the contract will be his last with the team unless he and the Cubs agree on a long-term extension.
This coming November, the pitcher will become a free agent. He has won more games (40 in the last two seasons than any pitcher in baseball. In 2016, he went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA. That was considered a let down after a crazy good Cy Young season of 2015.
As of now, there are no discussions on a long-term contract. When I asked the pitcher about his chances of staying a Cub beyond 2017, he seemed resigned to the fact he may be moving on.
“The timeline is kind of coming to an end as far as as leading up to free agency,” Arrieta said Friday at the Cubs Convention. “I am here for one more year and I am going to enjoy every moment of it.”
With huge commitments to Jon Lester and Jason Heyward, a big time $200 million contract to Arrieta at age 32 will more likely come from another franchise. Arrieta deserves market value if he has another big season. That market price should be close to $30 million a season.
“This is a great place to play,” Arrieta said. “Everybody knows that. If it happens, it happens. I don’t know where we stand. I really don’t. We do have some time to maybe work something out. If it doesn’t I will become a free agent.”
Clearly the best thing for both sides would be a deal getting done now. For Arrieta, he would have a contract that would exceed $90 million even on a four-year contract. Certainly the Cubs would be assured an innings-eating machine this way.
Arrieta could help them win another world title or two, while the organization’s starting pitching develops. The Cubs are light in starting pitching studs in the minors right now.
“The team is going to do what is best for them,” Arrieta said with some sadness in his voice.
The Cubs settled with pitcher Hector Rondon for $5.8 million and Justin Grimm at $1.82 million. Pedro Strop is asking $6 million in arbitration. The Cubs’ offer is $ 4.6 million. Strop remains the only arbitration-eligible Cub unsigned.
Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.
from CBS Chicago http://ift.tt/2irvk85
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