Cubs, Javy Báez Reach Agreement on $10M Salary

Javy Báez, the best defensive infielder in baseball, bucked the trend of players getting less than projected when he avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $10 million salary. That’s $700,000 more than MLB Trade Rumors had thought he’d get and it’s a little bit of a surprise for a team that has actively avoided spending money.

$10M for Javier Báez to avoid arbitration, per a source. @JeffPassan first. Cubs can still talk extension with Javy. This just locks in his 2020 salary.

— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) January 10, 2020

This doesn’t necessarily preclude the two sides from talking extension, though such a deal could add to the bottom line. Or maybe the Cubs will structure something to start next year, at which point the budget may be a little bigger.