Cubs avoid arbitration with RHP Pedro Strop, Agree to One-Year, $5.5 million contract
The Cubs avoided arbitration with RHP Pedro Strop on Saturday night according to multiple reports. The Cubs and Strop agreed to terms on a one-year, $5.5 million contract. Strop is under team control for one more year and becomes a free agent after the upcoming season.
Strop was paid $4.4 million last year and received a $1.1 million raise for his last season of arbitration eligibility.
Pedro Strop, 31, was 2-2 with a 2.85 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 2.91 FIP in 54 games for the in the regular season. Strop allowed 16 runs, 15 earned, on 27 hits with 15 walks and 60 strikeouts in 47 1/3 innings.
Strop was acquired from the Orioles, along with Jake Arrieta, for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger in July 2013.
Over four seasons with the Cubs under Chris Bosio, Strop is 8-14 in 232 games with six saves, a 2.68 ERA, 0.98 WHIP and 2.82 FIP. Strop struggled with his command in Baltimore. With the Cubs, Strop has 254 strikeouts and has allowed 128 hits with 80 walks in 211 1/3 innings.
Pedro Strop was the last of four arbitration eligible players that was unsigned for the upcoming season. Jake Arrieta ($15.6375 million), Justin Grimm ($1.825 million) and Hector Rondon ($5.8 million) avoided arbitration with the Cubs last month.
The Cubs have not gone to arbitration with a player since Theo Epstein took over Baseball Operations in October 2011.
• Pedro Strop’s Page on Baseball-Reference