Cubs tender contract to RHP Cotton

CHICAGO -- The Cubs reached a one-year deal with right-hander Jharel Cotton prior to Monday's deadline for tendering contracts to arbitration-eligible players.

Cotton, who was eligible for arbitration as a Super Two player, will receive a non-guaranteed, $640,000 one-year contract from the Cubs, who acquired him on Nov. 23 from the A's in exchange for cash considerations. The 27-year-old Cotton has one Minor League option remaining, but will go to camp this spring with Chicago with a chance to contend for a spot on the big league pitching staff.

Cotton missed all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and had his comeback season in '19 marred by a right hamstring injury that required surgery.

The decision came prior to Monday's 7 p.m. CT deadline, and it wasn't the only one. Chicago chose not to tender a contract to both infielder Addison Russell and pitcher Danny Hultzen, who became free agents. The rest of the Cubs' arbitration-eligible players (Albert Almora Jr., Javier Báez, Kris Bryant, Willson Contreras, Kyle Ryan and Kyle Schwarber) were all tendered a 2020 contract.