#21
The Chicago Cubs pulled out a division win in 2020, but were swept out of the expanded playoff field pretty quick. Now there are talks of cutting payroll and a potential tearing down of the roster that broke the dreaded curse. Will 2021 see more success or be the start of the rebuild?
#18 - 4th in NL Central
MIH - Willson Contreras
MIP - Yu Darvish
PTW - Nico Hoerner
2020 Results
#9 - 34-26, 1st in NL Central, lost in Wild Card Round
Everyone thought the Cubs were due for a down year in 2020 (at least I did). Instead, behind rookie manager David Ross, the Cubs won the division and hosted a first round playoff series against the surprise of the 2020 season, the Miami Marlins. The Cubs were eliminated without winning a game, leaving many to wonder if 2020 was actually a successful season or not.
Additions / Subtractions
The Cubs offseason was defined by two things: who left and who is still there. First, leaving the club were Cy Young finalist Yu Darvish, veteran pitcher Jon Lester, and slugger Kyle Schwarber. Also leaving was team president Theo Epstein, the man responsible for breaking the championship curses in both Boston and Chicago. The one still there is Kris Bryant. The Cubs are in the business of cutting payroll right now, and Bryant is due to have a big payday after the 2021 season. Rumors swirled all offseason that he would be traded, but he is still manning the hot corner for the Cubs. Coming in were some minor pickups like Joc Pederson, Zach Davies, and Jake Arrieta to fill in for the departing players.
Most Important Hitter
Kris Bryant
So much heading into this season revolves around Kris Bryant for the Cubs. It reminds me some of the Rockies heading into last season being held hostage by the Nolan Arenado trade talks. At the same time, Bryant is coming off a pretty disappointing 2020 season. He barely cracked a .200 average with a 73 OPS+ in the shortened season. Now Bryant is in his contract year (which many would argue shouldn't be happening thanks to service time manipulation). Bryant's success in 2021 could lead to greater team success for the Cubs. It could also lead to greater trade value at the deadline this year. It could also lead to a bigger payday for Bryant next offseason. Poor production could easily lead to more drama over what the Cubs are going to do with Kris Bryant.
Most Important Pitcher
Kyle Hendricks
With the departures of Yu Darvish and Jon Lester, the Cubs' rotation is lacking a lot of star power and established dominance. The holdover in the rotation is Kyle Hendricks. Ever since he made his debut in 2014, he has quietly been a dominant force for the Cubs using control and finesse in a way that draws comparisons to Greg Maddux. Now he is by far the main man for the Cubs. He is going to need to continue his dominance and mentor some young pitchers ready to make an impact for the bug club.
Prospect to Watch
Brailyn Marquez
One of those young arms Hendricks will be mentoring is Brailyn Marquez. The top prospect in the Cubs' farm system, the 22 year old lefty got one appearance in 2020 that went pretty horrifically. Now he is competing for a spot in the rotation. If he doesn't break Spring Training with the big club, look for him to be a call up sometime soon.
2021 Prediction
4th in NL Central
The Cubs still have a lot of talent, but the NL Central is a pretty deep division (with the exception of the Pirates). The depth of the division, as well as the questions around what direction the team is heading, will keep the Cubs from having a huge impact in 2021. With that said, in that division, you can't really count them out.
Fearless Prediction
There will only player in the dugot from the Cubs' World Series roster on Opening Day 2022 will be manager David Ross.
What was supposed to be a long-lasting dynasty appears to be all but over 5 years later. All indications show there is no way Kris Bryant returns next season. He might not even last till the end of this season. Anthony Rizzo is in the last year of his deal, as is Javy Baez. Jake Arrieta is only back for one year. Willson Contreras appears to be an attractive trade chip that could be moved. That leaves just Jason Heyward and Kyle Hendricks. If the Cubs go full rebuild here, one or both of those players could also be moved. The likelihood that happens is low, but it's possible the entirety of that magical team will be gone very soon.
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