5 biggest questions facing the Chicago Cubs in 2021

For the first time in years, the Chicago Cubs are heading into a season on the outside looking in when it comes to most postseason projections. By most measures, they’re not even poised to win the National League Central.

That alone tells you this club faces a lot of questions as Opening Day draws closer. Throw in an offseason where the organization seemed to spin its wheels and lack a clear direction at times and that’s where we stand.

The biggest question on everybody’s mind, though, at least for the next three weeks, is whether or not Chicago will be able to extend any of its free agents-to-be. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has previously stated he plans on talking with Kris Bryant, Javier Baez and Anthony Rizzo regarding extensions this spring.

So far, though, Bryant says he hasn’t talked with the front office on that front and we haven’t heard anything from either of the others. Baez and Rizzo both make a ton of sense as long-term pieces – and the direction the team takes with them could go a long way in dictating what the next few years look like for Chicago.

Is this the end of the road for the Cubs and Kris Bryant?

No matter what the next few months bring, Kris Bryant will leave a lasting legacy on the North Side. The former first-rounder won Rookie of the Year in 2015, following it up with a World Series ring and NL MVP honors in 2016. From 2015 to 2019, he was one of the most valuable players in all of Major League Baseball.

But coming off a lackluster performance in 2020 and making nearly $20 million in his final year of control, Bryant is a prime trade chip for the organization. All offseason, trade rumors connected the Cubs third baseman to teams like the Braves, Mets, Dodgers and Nationals. But the winter has come and gone and he’s still here in Chicago.

Why did a deal never come to fruition? Because Bryant’s trade value is at an all-time low. He’s coming off the worst season of his professional career, he’s battled injuries the last few years and hasn’t come close to matching his early-career numbers in some time. Both he and the team need him to re-establish himself early on this season.

It’s not impossible for Bryant to play out the season with the Cubs and end up returning on a new deal after testing free agency, but I wouldn’t consider it particularly likely to happen, either. The next three weeks will be critical in determining Bryant’s future in the Windy City.

Cubs: Can Craig Kimbrel turn the page on two rough seasons in Chicago?

Craig Kimbrel was supposed to be part of the solution. Instead, he’s been arguably the biggest problem in the Cubs’ bullpen since signing with the team halfway through the 2019 campaign.

Despite finishing the 2020 season on a high note, the veteran right-hander has been a total disaster on the North Side. He’s struggled to locate his curveball, saw his once-overpowering fastball lose critical velocity and opposing offenses made him pay the price.

Entering the last year in his initial three-year, $45 million contract, Kimbrel has been roughed up early this spring, as well. He’s made just two appearances, but allowed five runs on five hits. Opponents are hitting .556 against him and his 22.50 ERA isn’t exactly a confidence boost.

Like Bryant, right now Kimbrel has very little trade value. Given his age and recent struggles, he’s actually got less value than Bryant, who is still just 29 and is a former NL MVP. His $16 million salary makes him someone Hoyer would undoubtedly like to shed at the trade deadline, but unless Kimbrel gets back on track and shows he can still close out games consistently, he’ll likely finish the year in Chicago.

What will attending a Cubs game be like in 2021?

We learned this week that both the Cubs and White Sox will host fans at 20 percent capacity on Opening Day next month. For both teams, it’ll mark the first time fans have been in the stands since 2019.

The Cubs laid out what plans are in place to keep everyone safe at the Friendly Confines to open the season and it’s widely expected the number of fans will increase as vaccination efforts pick up momentum in Chicago and across the state.

Now, does anyone like going and sitting in the sun wearing a mask? Of course not. But if it allows us to get back to the greatest ballpark in the game and cheer on our team, it’s a small price to pay. Speaking of which, seeing what ticket prices come in at will be a major focal point, especially early in the year.

The rooftops surrounding Wrigley are tied to the restaurant and bar restrictions in the city, meaning, as things currently stand, they’ll open up on April 1 at 50 percent capacity. So, if nothing else, Cubs fans will have options when it comes to seeing live baseball in 2021.