Thursday was a busy day for Jed Hoyer and the Chicago Cubs as they finalised contracts for 2024 with all six of their arbitration-eligible players, officially signed left-hander Shota Imanaga, and traded for a top 50 MLB prospect with the Dodgers.
Leading the group was Justin Steele, who went 16-5 with a 3.06 ERA in 30 starts and a career-high 173 1/3 innings of work. Steele finished seventh in the National League Cy Young voting. In 2024, he will receive a well-earned rise, going from $740K in 2023 to an even $4 million.
Cubs avoid drama, reach deals with six key contributors from last year.
Steele will slot back in atop the rotation this year, with Imanaga and familiar faces Jameson Taillon, Kyle Hendricks and possibly either Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad, as things presently stand. He’ll be looking to add additional hardware for himself and his squad this time around, having received his first All-Star selection the previous season.
The expected Cubs closer in 2024, Adbert Alzolay, received a significant salary increase as well, jumping from slightly under $750K to $2.11 million. Following some ups and downs in his early major league career, the right-hander joined Chicago’s late-inning rotation last season and led the team with 22 saves in 58 appearances (a 2.67 ERA).
Alzolay can only be moved up to the ninth inning if there is an outside addition, such as Josh Hader, Emmanuel Clase, or perhaps Jordan Hicks. Before everything is said and done, there will be additional bullpen additions; we’ll just have to wait and see how the depth chart resolves once the season gets underway. However, it appears that he will lose his position at this point.
With his game-winning home run theft of St. Louis’ Alec Burleson at Busch Stadium this summer, veteran outfielder Mike Tauchman—who may have single-handedly saved the Cubs’ season—will return as well, earning $1.95 million, up from $720K in 2023. He was a mediocre batter in the league, but there were times when he seemed to carry the team. In 2024, he will be a crucial depth option in the outfield.
Nick Madrigal, an infielder who will likewise play more of a bench position this season, sees his salary increase from $1.23 million to $1.81 million. In 2023, he surprised many by playing well at third base. It’s a great narrative for all parties concerned when Mark Leiter Jr. goes from being a man designated for assignment last winter to a major contributor in the bullpen earning $1.5 million in 2024. Now that Hoyer has added depth to the bullpen, perhaps Leiter’s arm won’t be as short in September as it was the previous year.
Lastly, but certainly not least, right-hander Julian Merryweather, who throws hard, will earn $1.175 million in 2024. In 2023, the veteran pitched for the Cubs in 69 games, averaging over a dozen strikeouts per nine while maintaining a 3.52 FIP.
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