Jeff Samardzija and the Chicago Cubs have avoid arbitration by agreeing on a one-year deal worth $5.345 million.
Samardzija is coming off a year in which he posted a 4.34 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 213 2/3 innings of work in 2013. The Cubs will hope the 29-year-old right hander improves on those numbers.
#Cubs and Jeff Samardzija have agreed to terms on a 2014 contract, thus avoiding salary arbitration.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 8, 2014
When arbitration figures were exchanged Samardzija asked for $6.2 million while the Cubs offered $4.4 million so the agreement is slightly above the midpoint. There has been speculation that the Cubs could trade Samardzija but the last report still had them pegging his value as high as Justin Upton when they were speaking to the Atlanta Braves.
