Jake Arrieta agrees to one-year, $10.7-million deal with Cubs

Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta has agreed to a $10.7 million, one-year contract, avoiding arbitration with the highest one-year deal for a pitcher with four years of major league service.

A person familiar with the negotiations disclosed the agreement on Friday night. The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract had not been announced by the team.

Arrieta, who turns 30 in March, had a breakout season last year, helping the Cubs to an NL wild card. The NL Cy Young Award winner finished with a 22-6 record and a 1.77 ERA, easily cruising past most of his previous career highs.

He was rewarded with a $7.07 million raise.

The settlement was $450,000 above the midpoint of the arbitration numbers exchanged by the sides on Jan. 15. Arrieta asked for $13 million and the team had offered $7.5 million.

Arrieta and the Cubs had the largest gap among players who swapped figures with their clubs on Jan. 15, but president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said last month he was confident the sides would reach an agreement before a hearing.

“I think, you know, in this case, if you focus on the spread, you’re kind of missing the story, which is that I think it provides a lot of room for further discussion,” he said at the team’s winter convention.

The Cubs’ July 2013 trade for Arrieta was a key moment in their move from the bottom of the NL Central to 97 wins last season and a spot in the NL Championship Series, where they were swept by the New York Mets.

Chicago traded pitcher Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger to Baltimore for Arrieta and reliever Pedro Strop. Arrieta went 10-5 with a 2.53 ERA in his first full season with the Cubs, and then was dominant for much of last year.

Arrieta, who made $3.63 million in 2015, is 56-38 with a 3.70 ERA in 136 career games.

Etc.

Cincinnati Reds outfield prospect Juan Duran has been suspended for the first 80 games of the season under Major League Baseball’s drug program following a positive test for three performance-enhancing substances.

Duran tested positive for Drostanolone, Stanozolol and Nandrolone, the commissioner’s office said Friday. He became the first player penalized under the big league program since St. Louis catcher Stanley Cody on Sept. 12. ...

Reliever J.J. Hoover won his salary arbitration case against the Reds, getting a raise from $535,000 to $1.4 million. The team had argued for $1.225 million. ...

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Infielder Pete Kozma and right-handed pitchers Vinnie Pestano and Anthony Swarzak were among 15 players who reached agreements with the New York Yankees and will report to big league spring training.