The Cubs entered Friday, the final day teams had to settle 2021 contracts with players before they went to an arbitration hearing, with four arb-eligible players still unsigned: Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras and Ian Happ.
The first announced signing was Javier Baez:
This figure is toward the high end of the MLB Trade Rumors estimates, meaning Javy’s bad 2020 season was likely discounted in the signing.
Baez can be a free agent after the 2021 season.
Salary figures were supposed to be exchanged by noon CT Friday, and that was the deadline to agree to a contract figure in order to avoid an arb hearing.