Cubs, Felix Doubront avoid arbitration with one year deal

With yearly arbitration hearings scheduled for February, the Chicago Cubs and starter Felix Doubront were able to avoid arbitration after both sides agreed on a one year deal worth $1.925 million, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Doubront, 27, was traded to the Cubs on July 30 for a player to be named later, which would eventually turn out to be infielder Marco Hernandez. Prior to being traded to the Cubbies, the young southpaw picked up 10 starts with the Boston Red Sox, posting a second career worst 6.07 ERA, 43/26 K/BB ratio, 40 earned runs and 10 home runs through 59 1/3 innings under his belt.

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With former manager Rick Renteria mixing up the starting rotation, Doubront made his Cubs debut on Aug. 30 against the St. Louis Cardinals. During that 5-1 victory, Doubront worked through seven solid innings, only giving up one earned run off one hit with one walk and four strikeouts.

His solid performance would continue over his next two starts, both against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Doubront would work 11 innings between both games, allowing only two earned runs with three walks and two strikeouts. Things would get a little shaky in his final outing of the year against the Los Angeles Dodgers in what would be a no-decision for the former Red Sox.

In his shortest outing as a Cub, the Dodgers hammered the then 26-year-old for six earned runs off six hits including two home runs in a losing effort. Despite his terrible outing against Los Angeles, Doubront posted some solid second half numbers with the Cubbies, showing some signs of hope for next season with the last couple spots in the rotation still up for grabs.

Through four starts in Chicago, Doubront posted a 3.98 ERA to drop his overall to a much improved 5.54 ERA. It’s worth noting that he did in fact deal with a shoulder injury with the Red Sox and a calf strain with the Cubs.

Now that he’s locked in for the 2015 campaign, the Cubs still have a handful of guys who are yet to avoid an arbitration hearing including pitchers Jake Arrieta, Pedro Strop, and Travis Wood.

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