Report: Cubs avoid arbitration with Willson Contreras

Contreras will make $9.625 million this season (Benny Sieu - USA Today Sports)

Tony Crumpton - Senior Editor - Thursday, June 09 2022

Good news for the Northsiders.

The Chicago Cubs and their starting catcher Willson Contreras have agreed to a 2022 salary of $9.625 million to avoid arbitration, first reported by ESPN's Jesse Rogers.

The Cubs had initially offered $9 million, while Contreras' team had $10.25 million as a starting point, so this amount was in the middle.

The arbitration was scheduled for today.

This is good news for both sides as an arbitration hearing could make Contreras suffer performance-wise, and right now, he is performing really well.

“If I make the All-Star Game I will be proud of myself because I didn’t let the distraction get into my head or get into my game," Contreras told NBC Sports Chicago about trade rumors and contract talks.

For the season, he is batting .277 with ten homers, 23 RBIs, and an OPS of .933.