Cubs still hoping to reach agreement with Arrieta

The Chicago Cubs remain hopeful of coming to terms on a 2016 contract with ace pitcher Jake Arrieta. But if the two sides cannot reach an agreement, they'll head to a salary-arbitration hearing next Tuesday in Arizona.

The Cubs are offering Arrieta $7.5 million after he made $3.63 million last year. Arrieta, who won the National League Cy Young Award in 2015, is seeking $13 million. The midpoint is $10.25 million.

Arrieta went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA in 2015 and pitched a complete-game shutout in the wild-card game against Pittsburgh to help the Cubs advance to the division series.

The Cubs' baseball-management team, headed by team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, prefers settlements over arbitration hearings. Arrieta and the Cubs appear to have a good working relationship, so a compromise still seems likely despite the gap between the team's offer and Arrieta's figure.

A reunion with Murton?

A report from Japan citing anonymous sources says the Cubs have signed outfielder Matt Murton. It's likely the deal is a minor-league contract with an invitation to big-league spring training camp.

Murton, 34, played for the Cubs in parts of four seasons, from 2005-08, putting up a batting line of .294/.362/.448 with 28 home runs and 104 RBI. He flourished in Japan from 2010-15. Playing for Hanshin, he had a career line of .310/.352/.437 with 77 homers and 417 RBI.

When Epstein was GM in Boston, the Red Sox drafted Murton in 2003 with their first-round pick. The Red Sox traded Murton to the Cubs in July 2004, in a four-team trade that brought shortstop Nomar Garciaparra to Chicago.