Colorado Rockies: what will it take to lock up Nolan Arenado long term?

Friday was the deadline to sign players who were arbitration eligible to contracts for 2018. Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant broke the record for salary for a first-time arbitration eligible player with a $10.85 million contract. According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago, Bryant’s contract breaks the record set by Ryan Howard with a $10 million contract for the 2008 season. So, with Bryant setting a precedent, will it affect the market for Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado?

Kris Bryant is one of the best players in baseball. In fact, in three seasons in the major leagues, he made the All-Star team twice, won the National League Rookie of the Year award, won the 2016 National League Most Valuable Player Award, and has been in the top 11 in NL MVP voting in each of his two other MLB seasons.

Along with breaking the first-time arbitration contract record, he broke the record for a contract by pre-arbitration eligible player for the 2017 season with a contract for $1.05 million.

So, with Bryant earning all of this before he is even a free agent (and still not even eligible for free agency for another four years), could his record breaking contracts thus far in his MLB career affect the potential contract the Nolan Arenado could get in two years when he is eligible for free agency?