MLB Players of the Week tell two very different stories for the Chicago Cubs

Even when the Chicago Cubs have nice things, they are reminded of the things that are preventing them from being in the class of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Life is good right now if you're Kyle Tucker. Despite a meaningless spring training slump, Tucker has opened the season with a strong case of why he should be considered one of the favorites to be the National League MVP.

Along those lines, it's no surprise that Tucker was named the National League's player of the week.

Tucker, of course, is set to become a free agent after this season. While Cubs fans may just want to enjoy the moment and embrace the reality of the team having a superstar in their lineup, they will be faced with reminders each week about the idea that Tucker's time with the Cubs may be one-and-done. After Vladimir Guerrero re-signed with the Toronto Blue Jays, Tucker now sits at the top of the market for available free-agent position players next offseason.

The easiest way for Cubs fans to no longer fear that reminder would be if the Cubs simply did what they can easily afford--sign Tucker to a top-of-the-market contract extension. However, the player who won the American League Player of the Week honor is yet another reminder of why Tucker may not be with the Cubs for long.

Boston Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman and his three home runs took home the honors in the American League. Of course, for the Cubs, it's an immediate realization of the impact he could have provided on the North Side. But, as these things usually go, there were limits to how much the Cubs could offer Bregman.

By the way, Matt Shaw is carrying a wRC+ of 89 through the first week of the season, in addition to a negative offensive fWAR of 1.1. Of course, it's an unfair comparison to make, but one the Cubs have embraced, given their handcuffed spending and preference to win on the margins. As the last two seasons have proved, the margins often don't work in the Cubs' favor.