Chicago Cubs: Safety remains top of mind for players across the sport

Chicago Cubs: Heyward looking for team to put it all together one more time

Kipnis isn’t alone in that hope, either. Veteran outfielder Jason Heyward is ready to get back on the field with the group that helped bring a World Series title to Wrigleyville back in 2016. The clock is ticking on this core – and even before COVID-19 laid waste to professional sports, 2020 looked like a potential last go-round for the Cubs as we have known them for some time.

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"“A group like ours, we got some guys right now possibly going into free agency, some guys with contract talks, some guys — (Jon) Lester — pushing for the Hall of Fame. Everybody’s kind of in a different spot right now. We talked about ‘The Last Dance’ kind of vibe. The front office is in a different spot.”"

Heyward has been trending upward with the bat for some time now. If you’re going off OPS+, he’s yet to be a league average offensive player in a Cubs uniform. But last season, he was really putting it all together. That is, until Joe Maddon put him in the leadoff spot and he promptly cratered at the dish. Here’s to hoping he can build on those positives in 2020.

I loved the interview, as a whole, especially channeling ‘The Last Dance’ vibes. We know what’s at stake and that a new era on the North Side may very well be dawning as early as later this year, with key players potentially in different uniforms.