Four years ago, the Cubs’ core was on top of the baseball world and after winning the 2016 World Series and several of those players in the infancy of their careers, it seemed like a good bet that it would be the first of many chances they would have.
But things rarely go exactly how you plan them, and after disappointing finishes the last three seasons, that same core has come into the spotlight.
The Cubs’ sputtering offense and lack of production, especially late in the season, have not been an aberration, but a trend over the last three seasons. The trend continued in 2020 and came to a head after being shut out in the final game against the Marlins.
It’s become apparent that the time for change has come and as the Cubs plan their offseason, the team seems to understand that too.
“I don’t think we’re in a position to definitively state that this is an end,” Epstein said. “At the same time, I talked about being accountable and owning it. We can’t continue to run the exact same offense, the exact same group of guys out there and expect better results. So I think the best way to approach this is acknowledging that we’re at a period of a real transition.”
Despite winning early in their window, the Cubs’ offense hasn’t lived up to expectations in recent years and some of the team’s weaknesses have been exposed. Epstein pointed to the inability to do damage against fastballs as one of those weaknesses.
Part of the team’s transition will likely include moving on from a piece or two from its core and also deciding what to do with its soon-to-be free agents. Javy Baez, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber are all scheduled to reach free agency at the conclusion of the 2021 season. It’s still possible the Cubs could agree to extensions this offseason, but will prepare for all scenarios, including moving one of those players.
“Embracing some change, even significant changes is warranted,” Epstein said. “Is it possible to thread the needle and improve in 2021, while also setting ourselves up for the long-term future? I think it is.”
Every offseason is unpredictable, but the global pandemic’s role on team revenues and subsequent apprehension to spend adds another layer. How the unknown team revenues affect the trade and free-agent markets will likely become more evident as the offseason unfolds.
Epstein says the Cubs will be proactive in augmenting the team.
“Our job isn’t just to sit there and shrug our shoulders and say, ‘Well, there’s uncertainty, we can’t do anything.’ It’s to be really systematic about asking the right questions, getting to the right answers, usually each day as an opportunity to try to properly forecast the different range of possible outcomes, and then be really strategic about our plan moving forward, acknowledging the uncertainty along the way.”
The Cubs’ plan now will be deciding who is part of their long-term future and who is not, including some of the players that helped reshape the franchise. And while this core’s time together is expected to come to a close, Epstein doesn’t expect their competitive window to be over anytime soon.
“These players have a lot of great baseball left and are clear assets,” Epstein said. “For many of them, I look forward to seeing them write some more history for the Chicago Cubs, and others ultimately will end up having productive years elsewhere. It’s just part of change. Is it an end? No. Is it a bit of a crossroads and clearly a period of transition? Yes.”
