Cubs Reach Agreement with 5 Arb-Eligible Players, Bryant Sets Record
The Cubs avoided arbitration hearings with five of the six players that were eligible this offseason. Addison Russell, Kris Bryant, Kyle Hendricks, Tommy La Stella and Justin Wilson all agreed to terms, with Justin Grimm being the lone Cub yet to reach a settlement as of post time.
Of course, the most noteworthy item here is that Bryant did indeed set the record for a first-year eligible player. The former MVP will make $10.85 million for the 2018 season, beating out Ryan Howard’s previous record of $10 million in 2008.
As for Grimm, the Cubs can still work out a deal any time prior to the arbitration hearing in February, which seems likely since the current Cubs’ front office has never needed an arbitration hearing for a player.
#Cubs make one-year deals with arbitration-eligible players:
Kris Bryant ($10.85 million)
Justin Wilson ($4.25 million)
Kyle Hendricks ($4.175 million)
Addison Russell ($3.2 million)
Tommy La Stella ($950,000)No settlement yet with Justin Grimm.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) January 12, 2018
All told, the above salaries will count $23,425,000 toward the Cubs’ luxury tax number, which is $1.075 million less than we had estimated recently. If Grimm gets the $2.4 million MLB Trade Rumors projected for him, it would give the Cubs slightly less payroll flexibility, but only by around $1.3 million.
