10 best single season performances by Chicago Cubs players in the last decade

8. Anthony Rizzo 2014

Anthony Rizzo was a power-hitting rock in the Cubs lineup for nearly a decade, and during that time he smacked 242 Home Runs in a Cubs uniform. In his 2014 season, then-24-year-old Rizzo posted the highest single-season WAR of his career to date at 5.3. Even though his numbers in 2015 were almost identical, 2014 was when the Cubs were still not a competing team. However, Rizzo proved that he was willing to give it his all every day, which led to him being a clear leader when the pieces started to come together in 2015 and 2016. I think this was solidified during the 2014 campaign not only through Rizzo's on-field production but through an incident with the Cincinnati Reds where the Cubs' first baseman boldly confronted the entire opposing dugout over an incident with future teammate Aroldis Chapman.

7. Kris Bryant 2017

Although many may think Kris Bryant's career has been steadily declining since he won the NL MVP in 2016, a lot of his numbers were actually higher in 2017. While he didn't hit as many dingers or drive in as many runs, which may be in part because of the loss of leadoff man Dexter Fowler, Bryant progressed in several categories.

It's going to be hard for Bryant to replicate the flashy numbers from 2016, but he showed that he could still produce at a high level consistently when healthy. Although injuries and a general overhaul of the roster resulted in Bryant getting traded in 2021, I have a feeling that he will win comeback player of the year before his contract with the Rockies expires.