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Report: Certain teams interested in short-term, high-salary deal with Arrieta

Patrick Gorski / USA TODAY Sports

Jake Arrieta's market may be slowed to a halt right now, but that doesn't mean he isn't garnering interest. It just might not be on his preferred terms.

In the event that the former Cy Young winner grows impatient in his pursuit of a long-term contract, multiple teams are reportedly very interested in talking to Arrieta about a potential short-term, high-salary deal, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.

Specific teams that are interested in this kind of a union with Arrieta are not known. It was reported in January that Arrieta, who turns 32 next month, was weighing offers from six clubs, including the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, and Milwaukee Brewers.

Signing Arrieta to a shorter-term deal might be ideal for teams in desperate need of starting help with the season moving closer, but it wouldn't come without significant risk. Because he rejected the Cubs' qualifying offer, any team signing Arrieta would have to forfeit a draft pick this June, likely in the third round. The Cubs, his 2017 team, would receive a compensatory draft pick after Competitive Balance Round B (following the draft's second round).

As well, if Arrieta produces an elite season, his new team would run the risk of losing him in free agency next winter without getting any compensation, per the new qualifying offer rules. That wrinkle might give teams pause before giving up a pick for potentially just a single season of Arrieta with no future guarantees.

Arrieta could opt to use a short-term deal as a bridge contract and then get his long-term deal next winter, but would run the risk of missing his big payday altogether if he returns to free agency next year after a poor 2018.

Chicago was said to have offered Arrieta a four-year, $110-million deal in January. Details of any other offers he's received haven't been revealed.

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