The Cubs on Friday signed all seven of their seven arbitration-eligible players, including a creative deal with troubled shortstop Addison Russell that provides a way for him to recoup money lost while serving an unpaid suspension for domestic violence.
Russell, who must serve the remaining 29 days of a 40-game suspension at the start of this season, gets a base salary of $3.4 million for 2019 — $600,000 of which is lost to the suspension.
But his contract includes five bonuses totaling $600,000 for reaching thresholds of 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days on the active roster. The first four are worth $100,000 each; the final one $200,000.
If he stays healthy and in good standing with the team the contract officially is worth $4 million, minus the suspension. Russell spent time on the disabled list each of the last two seasons.
He made $3.2 million in 2018 and if not for the off-the-field issues was expected to command well above $4 million this season.
Russell was suspended in October after a lengthy investigation by Major League Baseball into allegations of physical and emotional abuse made by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy, on social media posts.
He missed the final 11 days of the season on administrative leave as MLB concluded the investigation.
Team president Theo Epstein has repeatedly said the club accepts part of the responsibility for what happened on its watch and that “the most important thing going forward is to be part of the solution and to focus on making this a better place.” He vowed to hold Russell accountable as the team monitors his progress during league-mandated therapy and through work with his personal therapist.
Epstein also said: “Before he can play another game in a Cubs uniform, we need to know that he’s serious about self improvement and he’s grown to the point where he can represent the club well.”
In addition to Russell’s deal, the Cubs also signed six other arbitration-eligible players to standard one-year deals, including former MVP Kris Bryant, who gets a raise of slightly more than $2 million with a $12.9 million contract for 2019. Bryant missed lengthy stretches in 2018 because of a left shoulder injury but is expected to be at full strength for the start of spring training next month.
And 2018 MVP runnerup Javy Baez agreed to a $5.2 million deal in his first winter of arbitration eligibility.
Right-hander Kyle Hendricks signed for $7.405 million; left fielder Kyle Schwarber, $3.39 million; left-hander Mike Montgomery, $2.44 million; and right-hander Carl Edwards Jr., $1.5 million.
Friday is the day teams and players exchange salary figures for arbitration if they don’t reach agreement.
Hendricks, who led the majors with a 2.13 ERA in 2016, was 14-11 with a 3.44 ERA last season, when he made $4.175 million.
Schwarber hit .238 with a .356 on-base percentage and 26 homers in 510 plate appearances last year, when he made $604,500.
Hendricks’ signing means all six Cubs starters are under contract for a total of $92.905 million, including Jon Lester ($22.5 million), Yu Darvish ($20 million), Cole Hamels ($20 million), Tyler Chatwood ($12.5 million) and Jose Quintana ($10.5 million).
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