Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta, Washington star Bryce Harper and Baltimore standouts Manny Machado and Zach Britton got big-money deals Friday as more than 100 major leaguers reached agreements for 2017 and left just 28 players on track for salary arbitration.
After helping lead the Cubs to their first World Series title since 1908, Arrieta, a former TCU standout, agreed to a one-year deal for $15,637,500. He can become a free agent after this season.
Harper, who slumped after winning the 2015 NL MVP award, agreed at $13,625,000, leaving himself with one more year of arbitration eligibility before he can go on the open market.