CHICAGO (AP) The Chicago Cubs failed to offer a 2020 contract to shortstop Addison Russell on Monday, making the 2016 All-Star a free agent one year after he was suspended for violating Major League Baseball’s domestic violence policy.
Russell was banned for 40 games last offseason after a series of allegations made by ex-wife Melisa Reidy. The 25-year-old returned to the Cubs in May and batted a career-low .237 with nine homers, 23 RBIs and a .699 OPS.
Russell earned $4 million in 2019 and was likely to gain a raise in arbitration, probably around to $5 million.
“We decided to non-tender Addison Russell today simply because the role we expected him to play for the 2020 Cubs was inconsistent with how he would have been treated in the salary arbitration process,” Cubs executive Theo Epstein said in a statement.
The Cubs also agreed to a one-year deal with right-hander Jharel Cotton on a one-year deal and failed to offer a contract to left-hander Danny Hultzen before the tender deadline. Hultzen, the second-overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft, overcame numerous injuries to make his major league debut in 2019. He pitched 3 1/3 scoreless innings over six appearances.
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