5 Chicago Cubs players to keep an eye on down the stretch

It’s been a tough, tough week for Chicago Cubs fans since we watched our team broken up and sold for spare parts at last week’s trade deadline. Upon losing Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez, fans are already looking to turn the page on the season and look for something to look forward to in the future.

In reality, this season is just as important as any other. Even though it will be a non-competitive close to 2021, it is important to identify the key pieces of the team that can still contribute moving forward. It seems the only players who have already secured a spot moving forward in the lineup is Willson Contreras and Nico Hoerner. Everybody else needs to prove they belong.

That’s where this season can still be fun. Let’s just accept the Cubs aren’t winning a World Series this year. By doing that, we alleviate the pain of the inevitable. Who can step up to the plate and show what they’re made of? This team has been loaded lately with players most of us are unfamiliar with. Some we’ve seen all season and have been impressed by their contributions, hoping they can keep it going moving forward. Others have seen good success in the past but have struggled this season.

The next two months will give us a good idea of who, when given the chance to succeed can execute and remain part of the club moving forward. With that being said, let’s take a look at five Chicago Cubs to keep an eye on down the stretch.