5 Chicago Cubs current contracts that look like failures

3. 1B/ DH Trey Mancini

I wanted Trey Mancini to succeed with this team because it seemed like he would be a great veteran presence to help train Matt Mervis at first base. But dear lord have things not turned out like that. Mervis's first MLB stint was an offensive nightmare as the rookie hit just .167 with 3 home runs and 32 strikeouts in his first 99 plate appearances. The margin for error is expected for Mervis since that was his first exposure to the big leagues, but Mancini has been nothing short of horrible at the plate.

It is not an understatement when I say Trey Mancini is having the worst offensive year of his career. He is on pace to hit right around 10 home runs on the year, drive in 55, and hit 20 doubles, all of which would be career lows. His wRC+ is 22 points below league average, he is striking out almost a third of the time he goes up to the plate and his WAR sits at an abysmal -0.7. Mancini is literally playing worse than a replacement-level player and the Cubs gave him a two-year contract this offseason.

Well technically it was a one-year deal worth $7 million and the second year is a player option. But if Mancini continues to play this bad, he would be a fool not to take that player option (which is also worth $7 million) because no front office in their right mind would pay him that if these poor numbers continue. This essentially makes the Cubs on the hook to pay Mancini $7 million next season and he certainly can't be thought of as the starting first baseman moving forward. Since the Anthony Rizzo trade, the Cubs' situation at first base has been nothing short of a disaster and we need answers fast.