Chicago Cubs: 3 players who need to be back in 2022
9. . C. Chicago Cubs. Willson Contreras. 40. player
Willson Contreras is the Chicago Cubs’ biggest question mark going forward.
The Chicago Cubs had some interesting things happen in 2021. Of course, it will always be remembered as the year that they traded Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and Anthony Rizzo. That group ended a 108 year World Series drought for the Cubs so it will always be a tough thing for fans to think about.
The reason the Cubs traded them away is that extensions were not agreed upon and they are set to be free agents at the conclusion of this season. Well, Willson Contreras is set to deal with the same circumstances next year as well. Once 2022 is over, he is free to sign wherever he wants if an extension is not agreed to. That makes trading him in the offseason a serious possibility.
They should, however, give this man an extension. He clearly wants to be a member of the Chicago Cubs which should mean something coming from a player of his caliber. He is one of the five best catchers in the sport and he is obsessed with winning. That is the kind of player you want on your team when you execute a rebuild.
If they keep him long-term, the rebuild might not even take that long either. This team needs a lot to go right to be good again soon but keeping Willson Contreras is certainly one of those main keys. If he stays, it is a major win for the Cubs. However, if he isn’t signed by the 2022 trade deadline, consider him gone. The Cubs can’t let that happen.