By: Alex Patt

The Chicago Cubs won their arbitration case with reliever Justin Grimm according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. Grimm will be set to make @2.2 million in 2018. The 29-year old righty was looking for $2.475 million from the Cubs as reported by Rogers.

This arbitration case took place among the big free agent watch. It is surprising to some that Grimm is even being brought back after a real rough 2017. In 50 appearances last year, Grimm pitched to a 5.53 ERA and 1.337 WHIP. His 12 home runs surrendered last year were a season high in a Cubs uniform. He was even sent to AAA for a period of time last year, posting a 3.86 ERA in 11.2 innings.

The Cubs may hope he regains the form he had earlier in his Chicago tenure. In 2015 he was one of the Cubs best relievers as he put up a 1.99 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 49.2 innings. He has a good fastball and wicked curve when he is on, so hopefully it can pay off keeping him around one more year.