Chicago Cubs: Three things Theo Epstein should accomplish this winter

Chicago Cubs: Extending superstar shortstop Javier Baez

Shortstop Javier Baez is undoubtedly one of the most popular baseball players both among the Chicago Cubs and in all of Major League Baseball. The Puerto Rican superstar has captured the hearts of baseball fans everywhere with his stellar offense and defense alike. Besides his talent on the field, he has also proven himself to be an icon off the field, as he has made efforts to represent both his place in the community and his heritage and background.

This past October, Baez made it to the cover of one of the most popular video games in today’s market – MLB: The Show 20. Baez has reached well-earned superstardom early on in his career, and it would be crazy for the Chicago Cubs to let him go. Needless to say, Baez is worthy of extending. Baez, 26, is set to make $9.3 million in 2020 but is only under club control until 2021. The bottom line is, the sooner the team locks Baez up, the better and it is good that contract discussions are already looming.

Over the course of just the 2019 season, Baez slashed .281/.316/.531 with 29 home runs, 38 doubles and 89 runs driven in. Besides his offense, Baez is one of the best, if not the best middle infielder defensively in all of the National League. These attributes are crucial to the team’s success in 2020 and beyond and the team extending Baez now would be an ultimate power move.