Two More Pitchers Avoid Arbitration, Agree to Deals with Cubs

Two more pitchers have avoided arbitration and agreed to deals with the Chicago Cubs on Thursday. Left-handed starter Justin Steele is set to earn $6.55 million in 2025, while right-handed reliever Nate Pearson settled on a $1.35 million salary for the upcoming season.

Steele, 29, is under team control through the 2027 season with two remaining years of arbitration-eligibility after 2025. The lefty was limited to 24 starts this past season because of a hamstring strain on Opening Day against the Texas Rangers.

Despite a few more bumps throughout the season Steele turned in another strong year for the Cubs, recording a 3.07 ERA in 134.2 innings, while continuing to limit hard contact and posting similar strikeout and walk rates from his 2023 breakout year.

Source: Justin Steele, Cubs settle at $6.55 million, avoiding arbitration.

— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) January 9, 2025

MLBTR, which publishes projected arbitration figures every year, estimated that Steele would get $6.4 million, so the Cubs’ lefty ultimately agreed to a slightly bigger number.

Steele has a 3.24 ERA during his MLB career with the Cubs in 484 innings since getting his first call up in 2021.

Meanwhile, Pearson will enter the 2025 season with some added confidence following his turnaround after the Toronto Blue Jays traded him to the Cubs last July. In 19 relief appearances with the Cubs, Pearson had a 2.73 ERA and 0.99 WHIP with a 23/4 strikeout to walk ratio in 26.1 innings. The hard-throwing righty had a rough ending with the Blue Jays, posting a 5.63 ERA in 40 innings prior to the trade.

Nate Pearson and the Cubs have settled on a $1.35 million deal for 2025, per source, avoiding arbitration.

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) January 9, 2025

Pearson’s $1.35 million salary was right around MLBTR projection of $1.4 million. The 28-year-old pitcher is under team control through 2026.

Earlier in the offseason the Cubs avoided arbitration with right-handed relievers Julian Merryweather and Keegan Thompson for $1.225 million and $850k respectively.

Eli Morgan and Kyle Tucker remain are the final two players who have not yet agreed to 2025 salaries with the Cubs.