Chicago Cubs: Top five players who won’t be around next season
The Chicago Cubs are battling for a postseason berth, but the future is already written for some of the players. Who might be gone next season?
The Chicago Cubs are battling every day to secure their place in the postseason. Injuries to Cubs shortstop Javier Baez, second baseman Addison Russell and pitcher Craig Kimbrel have forced the Northsiders to go deep into the roster and bring up shortstop Nico Hoerner and others to shore up the holes in offense and defense.
The truth is, the writing is on the wall for some these Cubs players, and although we love them, many will be gone next season. Of course, there’s still time for any of these players to break out and make an impression on Cubs management, but at this moment, these players are all likely candidates. Let’s take a look at the top five Chicago Cubs players that will most likely not be around next season.
Cole Hamels – LHP
Since coming off his injury, Cole Hamels has not been very good. In previous articles, I have pointed to the fact that we probably have gotten the most out of Hamels. But Cubs manager Joe Maddon is trying to squeeze every last throw out of the aging pitcher. The zip in Hamel’s ball that was so impressive coming out of last season has turned into an edge painter that produces walks and hits.
Hamels has played in double the games than he did last year and has faced 260 more batters this season. However, the more he faces, the worse his record gets as shown by his 2.36 ERA last year and his 3.95 right now.
There is a reason that the back office folks were indicating he could move on right after he came off his injury and are considering a Philly reunion next season.
The Cubs paid Hamels $20 million for his work this year but next year Hamels is an Unrestricted Free Agent and will most likely move on.
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Pedro Strop – RHP
Pedro Strop has an uncanny knack of delivering in big games which seems to overshadow the lackluster performances he has most of the season. This season has been different from the absence of Carl Edwards Jr., who used to take most of the beating from fans while Strop’s performances were overlooked.
Without Edwards around to draw the negative spotlight, there has been a beacon on Strop’s performance. In the Cubs loss to the San Francisco Giants in July, it was all Strop that sealed the Cubs fate.
The Cubs were leading 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning when Strop entered the game. Strop gives up a double to Pablo Sandoval and then a single to Brandon Crawford. Strop follows with a double to Austin Slater and then another double to Joe Panik.
By this time, the Giants now lead 5-4, and of course, the Cubs lose. Back in June, Strop did the same against the White Sox in the ninth inning when Eloy Jimenez hit a two-run, tie-breaking home run off of Strop for a win.
Strop is coming off a three-year $17.6 million contract and is going into Unrestricted Free Agency next season.
Steve Cishek – RHP
Steve Cishek was once Joe Maddon’s go-to reliever that could be counted on for multiple innings of work without any issue. His stats in 2018 of a 2.18 ERA in 80 games and 70 1/3 innings with 78 strikeouts and 28 walks was good enough to get Cishek back into the bullpen this year.
Unfortunately, with only a couple weeks left in the season, Cishek’s stats for this season are abysmal. This season, Cishek is sitting on a 3.17 ERA in only 64 games and 59 2/3 innings. Fifty-six strikeouts and 24 walks illustrate Cishek’s fall from grace.
Cishek recently took the mound to close a game against San Diego Padres and walked three consecutive batters including a walk to Manuel Margot which produced a walk-home run and the win for the Padres in 10 innings.
Cishek is coming off a two-year $13 million contract and is going into Unrestricted Free Agency next season.
Chicago Cubs let the 2016 World Series Most Valuable Player go UFA
Ben Zobrist return to the Cubs hasn’t been the party everyone was expecting. With just 26 games into the season, Zobrist was put on the restricted list on May 6 to take care of family matters. His return, while hailed by Cubs fans across the universe, hasn’t produced the kind of numbers the Cubs were hoping to see from veteran utility man. While there is still a couple of weeks left in the season, I wouldn’t put it past Zobrist to make some spectacular plays or even save a game or two with some good offensive hitting.
However, the 38-year-old looks a little tired in his return and so will most likely be looking at the end of his four-year, $56 million contract which expires this season. Zobrist may have to step up his game if he wants to catch on with another team in free agency in 2020.
Nicholas Castellanos almost made this list as well as he will be an Unrestricted Free Agent next season. Castellanos hit 11 home runs and finished the month of August with a 1.098 OPS. He lights up the Cubs offense consistently and unlike anyone who subbed in previously like: Daniel Descalso, Daniel Murphy and Tony Kemp, Castellanos is pretty consistent.
Considering the Tigers were going to pay Castellanos $9.95 million for three years and we’re paying outfielder Jason Heyward an eight-year $184 million contract, I’m convinced the Cubs are going to shuffle the outfield and add Castellanos next season to the roster.
Chicago Cubs: What infielder will likely be gone next season?
Addison Russell – INF
If there is one Cubs player that has been controversial over the past two seasons, it’s Addison Russell. Fans abandoned the young player on news that MLB was punishing him for domestic violence. Russell had denied any part of the controversy until MLB concluded its investigation and Russell confessed his violent behavior.
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Of course, if Russell were to become an untouchable product, the Cubs would lose millions in what they had invested in the young shortstop. When Russell returns, he is slowly brought back into the lineup; past the boo-birds in his earliest appearances back on the Cubs roster.
Then one day, as the Cubs management knew would happen, Russell hits a home run and then another, and now he has been redeemed. Not only are his sins forgiven, but he raises his value, which was not even possible at the beginning of the season with all the negative publicity surrounding him.
Russell was recently hit in the face with a pitch which caused the Cubs to put him on the IL and call up rookie sensation Nico Hoerner. Hoerner shows up with a strong arm and even better bat, making Cubs management think real hard about whether they should start to consider Russell’s contribution since his return.
We know that Russell’s play and offense haven’t been great and 2020 brings his first year of arbitration with the Cubs. Last year, Russell was given a $3.4 million deal for the 2019 season. While that is super-cheap for an infielder and one as talented as Russell, the Cubs are ready to move on to another candidate with less harmful exposure. Expect Russell to be traded either before or after arbitration next season.