The Chicago Cubs should already have their eye on signing Xander Bogaerts this season. (Photo by Ed Zorga/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs should already be keeping an eye on these three free agents for next season.
Well, that was fun. The Chicago Cubs did not trade Wilson Contreras on the deadline. They stuck to Ian Hap, too. While they continued to rebuild by dealing with many veterans—mostly relief shooters—they remained stuck in some kind of baseball purgatory.
Will things get better next year? Chicago may have to speed up the process by engaging in free agency.
Retaining Contreras for a possible extension makes sense. Happ was already under contract for next season, as is Marcus Strowman And the Seiya Suzuki Two of the biggest names brought by the cubs during the winter. Instead of doing a major rebuild and continuing to punish fans who show up in daily games all summer, the Cubs can get busy by spending in free agency this winter on some of the younger players about to enter the open market.
1) Cubs off-season prediction: Xander Bogaerts is a short-term, long-term solution
Xander Bogaerts is having a great year with the Boston Red Sox, but is expected to withdraw from his contract after this season is over. Bogaerts will be a welcome addition to the Cubs lineup. He will turn 30 in October, making him young enough for a longer commitment.
Bogaerts has become a player who can strike for good and average power. There is not one particular feature in his offensive game that stands out. It’s well rounded as it gets. The energy gap may be one exception. He averaged 40 career doubles per 162 games.
The way the Red Sox fell after their mid-season rush could see the Bogaerts become a free agent. With Boston already hiring Trevor Story as an obvious replacement, Cubs Bogaerts should keep an eye out when it enters the open market.
There are plenty of short stopping points for the team to come back to, including Tria Turner and Carlos Correa if he becomes available again. Either of them will be fine. However, Bogart was more than an iron man. Being able to stay on the field is something the Cubs can’t overlook when compared to other short stop positions hitting the open market that just didn’t work out.
[ad_2]
