Report: Cubs, Jake Arrieta Avoid Arbitration With $15.6M Deal

(CBS) The Cubs and right-hander Jake Arrieta avoided arbitration by reaching a one-year, $15.6375-million deal Friday, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported.

Arrieta went 18-8 with a 3.10 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 31 starts in 2016. His contract expires at the end of the 2017 season.

Ahead of the 2016 season, the Cubs and Arrieta settled at $10.7 million as he was coming off a Cy Young-winning campaign in 2015. That figure represented a record number for a pitcher with four years of major league service. Arrieta's high-level performance across the past two years has caused his salary to skyrocket. In 2015, he made $3.63 million.

Earlier Friday, news broke that the Cubs had settled with relievers Hector Rondon ($5.8 million) and Justin Grimm ($1.825 million).

Friday marked the final day for arbitration-eligible players and their teams to reach an agreement before advancing to the next stage of the process, which involves exchanging salary figures and then trying to settle again. Arbitration hearings, if needed, take place in February. Teams typically prefer to avoid arbitration so as not to create any hard feelings with players.