Chicago Cubs: 3 players who won’t be back in 2021

When we talk about Lester as the greatest free-agent signing in the history of the Chicago Cubs, things can’t be more opposite for Jose Quintana. He has been an okay pitcher for them but with him, the Cubs are on the wrong side of a very bad trade. In fact, it might be the worst trade in the history of the team. They acquired him from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, and two other prospects.

We all already know that Jimenez is one of the great young players in baseball now. He really isn’t all that good of a fielder but there is time to improve there. His money is made with his bat and he is a very good hitter. He has the potential to be one of the best power hitters in the world. The Cubs already lost the deal based on Jimenez alone.

It is even worse because of Cease. He isn’t a superstar or anything like that yet but he has the chance to be a solid pitcher for the White Sox with just a bit more development. The Cubs can’t develop any pitching so having Cease might have helped them do that. They could really learn a thing or two from the White Sox on how to develop young arms instead of buying guys like Quintana (who wasn’t even that good anyway).

Quintana is a free agent now. It would be in the best interest of the Cubs to not bring him back at this point. It stinks that they will end up with nothing out of the trade but they can’t want to be associated with this Quintana deal anymore. Don’t expect him back with the Cubs in 2021.