While we wait for Wednesday’s Game 3 of the NL Division Series vs. the Brewers, let’s change things up for a moment and look ahead to next year.
Now, this doesn’t mean that I am giving up on the NLDS!
But Tuesday, MLB Trade Rumors came out with their annual list of projected arbitration salaries
for 2026, so I figured with an off day in the NLDS today, it would be a good time to take a look at what they’ve got for the arb-eligible Cubs.The Cubs’ current 40-man roster has only four players who are arb-eligible
for next year. First, that makes this a pretty short article. Second, the decisions should be pretty easy here, and it’s entirely possible all of this is done for the Cubs well ahead of any arb hearings.
Here they are in alphabetical order, with MLBTR’s projection.
Javier Assad: $1.9 million
This is a no-brainer. Assad is either part of the 2026 rotation, or he’s a key multi-inning bullpen piece. Per Spotrac Assad made $773,133 this year.
Pay the man.
Reese McGuire: $1.9 million
McGuire saved the Cubs catching corps this year by being around when Miguel Amaya went down with multiple injuries. He hit well enough and was a decent defender.
That said, Amaya will certainly be back and at 100 percent in 2026, and Carson Kelly has a $7.5 million mutual option with the team. It might cost more to keep Kelly, but he’s worth another year, in my view.
I think the Cubs thank McGuire and non-tender him.
Incidentally, Amaya isn’t arb-eligible for another year, so the Cubs have him for 2026 at an inexpensive rate.
Eli Morgan: $1.1 million
Morgan was injured and didn’t pitch for the Cubs after April. I could see them non-tendering him and re-signing him to a minor-league deal with incentives if he made the team next spring. But going to arb for $1.1 million? Nope.
Justin Steele: $6.55 million
The number above is what Steele made in 2025, a season ruined by Tommy John surgery. He’s not likely to be back before mid-2026, but if that number is what keeps Steele a Cub, do it.
It also might be worth perusing the MLBTR list, linked above, to see what players might be non-tendered by other teams who could be of interest to Jed Hoyer’s front office.
