Chicago Cubs: Projecting the 2021 Opening Day lineup

With Spring Training games a week away and Opening Day only a month from then, it seems as perfect a time as any to start speculating on the squad the Chicago Cubs will send out there behind Kyle Hendricks on Opening Day. Sure, most of the country is mired in the snow and cold weather, but it’s comfortable and 70 degrees in Mesa, AZ today, so let’s play ball.

While much ado has been made of the Cubs’ offseason this winter, the club that runs out onto Wrigley Field on April 1 might not be all that different than the one that you saw in the shortened 2020 season this summer and fall. Other than swapping out Kyle Schwarber with Joc Pederson, the lineup is really going to be very familiar and will ultimately come down to lineup construction for now second-year manager David Ross.

Sure, the bullpen, bench and rotation might look a lot different from this past fall, but the guys you’ve watched run around on the field and step in the box over the past four or five years seemingly won’t change a ton, barring a late trade or worse yet, an injury in the next month. Without further temporizing, let’s take a look at what the Opening Day lineup will look like in the first year of the “Jed Hoyer Era.”

Chicago Cubs: Look for another strong start from the leadoff man

When healthy and right, Ian Happ is one of the best young players in the game. He can run, he can hit from both sides of the plate, he can hit with power and he’s versatile. He may not have a permanent home defensively, but he will probably remain the Cubs’ primary center fielder for most of 2021.

He’s also just coming into his own on and off the field and blossoming as a leader on a team where he was the young guy on a club with a core group of players just a few years older than him.

Happ got the nod of confidence from Ross in 2020 to lead off and basically ran with it until a freak foul ball to the eye derailed his breakout year. He’s already got his manager’s approval as the guy at the top in 2021, with Ross declaring “Happer” the man to start things off for the Cubs on Opening Day. And really, why wouldn’t he?

Overall, Happ produced a .258/.361/.505 slash line to go along with 12 home runs, 11 doubles, 30 walks and 28 RBI, as well as a down-ballot MVP vote. What that doesn’t take into account, however, is that up until that foul ball on September 3, Happ was slashing .311/.421/.648 with 10 bombs. Oh, and he was most definitely right in the mix for NL MVP at that point. After that point, the Cubs offense basically went downhill fast without a catalyst to start things at the top, and they never really recovered.

Here’s hoping a healthy Happ can set the table and keep the offense happy and happening all season long in 2021. Read on to see who’s going to hit behind him.

Chicago Cubs: Questions marks will come from the bottom of the order

If any confusion or questions do exist in terms of projecting an Opening Day lineup in 2021, the consternation will be somewhere in the bottom of the lineup. With two left-handed hitting outfielders who struggle against southpaws and a still-up-in-the-air second base spot to fill, there could be a bit of adaptation and flexibility required down at the bottom of the order.

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Against most pitchers, you’re most definitely going to see the corner outfield positions filled by incumbent Jason Heyward in right field and newcomer Pederson in left. They’ve both experienced periods of great success at the plate while in the big leagues, while also struggling mightily through extended slumps and ongoing issues dealing with left-handed hurlers. So, while you’re going to see them most of the time, there is the possibility you could see a right-handed bat in either field against a tough lefty at times.

At second base, there seems to be some hesitancy to just bring Nico Hoerner as the starter. Many have called for him to start the year in the minors and hone his approach and overall hitting against lesser competition. I, for one, am not in that camp. First of all, he’s the best defensive option we have there, and also the best option at shortstop should Baez need a game or a few innings off.

Secondly, I feel way too much was made of his struggles in 2020 when he consistently hit line drives, worked tough at bats, and played great defense as a 23-year-old who had never even played a full season of Double or Triple-A ball. So, while the starter could be David Bote or Ildemaro Vargas on Opening Day, Hoerner would be my pick.

Chicago Cubs: Let’s hope 2021 sees Ross repeating this

Projected 2021 Chicago Cubs Opening Day Lineup:

• CF- Ian Happ
• 3B- Kris Bryant
• 1B- Anthony Rizzo
• C- Willson Contreras
• SS- Javier Baez
• LF- Joc Pederson
• RF- Jason Heyward
• 2B- Nico Hoerner
• P- Kyle Hendricks