Chicago Cubs: Projections for ideal bounceback seasons by key players

Chicago Cubs: Willson Contreras has room to improve in 2021

If there was one core member who was pretty close to his normal production it was Willson Contreras. The two-time All-Star catcher hit .243/.356/.407 with seven homers, .763 OPS, 110 wRC+ and was a 1.6 fWAR player. Pretty productive, but we know he is capable of better.

In three of his first four seasons, Contreras put up a wRC+ of 120+, as well as put up and OPS of .845+. The one year outside 2020 he did neither was 2018 when his power strangely just disappeared in the second half. In 2019 he bounced back from that and put up a career-high 24 home runs and 128 wRC+ in 105 games. He has faced slumps and injury issues before and has overcome them, it is reasonable to think he can return to his best form.

Ideal numbers:

.270/.355/.480  – 22 HR, .835 OPS, 120 wRC+, 9.0 BB%

Going into the 2021 season, the starting lineup on paper is still the team’s strongest point. With a pitching staff and bench being assembled by parts found in the Bargain Bin, most of the established top-tier talent is in the starting nine. These core players need to bounce back if they want any sort of chance because pitching and depth is probably not going to carry this team again.