Chicago Cubs: Big early takeaways one week into Cubs camp

Chicago Cubs: While a popular topic of conversation among fans, core players are not in a rush to talk contract extensions

With not much time left of team control, both Kris Bryant and Javier Baez are two of the core players that would ideally see contract extensions before becoming free agents. Bryant trade rumors had spread like wildfire in the past offseason with some doubt he and his agent Scott Boras would accept an extension after the 2021 season. Despite Bryant’s public comments saying he’d like to stay in Chicago.

Baez is a bit of a different story, as there seems to be much more confidence he will be extended before becoming a free agent. WCSR’s Bruce Levine reported that Baez and the Cubs line of communication regarding an extension have been good.

With all of that being said, do not expect either to talk further on the subject for the time being.

"“We’re at such a critical juncture as we sit here today on July 10, 2020, the currency of the game truly is health and safety – To discuss contract situations, it gets to a point where if you talk too much about it, it becomes inappropriate.” – Cubs president Theo Epstein to 670 the Score"

Bryant, Baez and Cubs president Theo Epstein said that now is not the time to be talking extensions. The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney quoted Baez saying, “Everybody wants to get paid, but we got to wait for the right time — I’m not in a rush.” Bryant also said similar things about the timing being inappropriate. While fans do not know what happens behind closed doors, it seems pretty clear there will not be further contract extension talks happening for some time.