Chicago Cubs are failing in one key regard of roster management

Chicago Cubs: Current labor situation hurting extension chances?

Making contract extensions even less likely is the current labor situation. MLB spent less on player salaries in 2018 than the year before. Free agent contracts are getting shorter. Jake Arrieta is warning young players. One agent is even hoping, “Every damn agent holds the line,” in regard to the arbitration process.

For instance, compare Yasmani Grandal‘s recent one year contract with the Brewers to Russell Martin signing a five-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2014.

The most likely candidate for a contract extension is Contreras. The rest of the Cubs’ young players have already begun to earn life-changing money. However, these types of extensions are becoming rarer and rarer both amongst the Cubs and around baseball in general.

This competitive window has probably already been shortened by the lack of contract extensions. But perhaps an extension or two can still be worked out. That would help to prompt open the competitive window a little bit longer.