The 2016 World Series champions find themselves at a crossroads in 2020. Can the Chicago Cubs fight their way back and stay in the playoff hunt?
The Chicago Cubs are a team nobody expects much from in 2020. Due in part to under-performing in 2019, the loss of Joe Maddon, and their failure to add on this offseason, the Cubbies are certainly not on anyone’s radar to make an impact. But this is still a team that has a lot of fight in it, and going into 2020 with zero expectations might just play heavily in their favor. This might be one of the major surprises in 2020.
The Cubs have all sorts of issues, don’t get me wrong. They had a rough ending to their 2019 season and lost one of the premier managers in the game in Joe Maddon. Then they had the whole arbitration debacle with Kris Bryant that is still lingering over them to this day.
There was the Addison Russell domestic abuse case. And on top of that, after the season they went through in 2019, they weren’t very active in the offseason making only a few moves.
But when I look at this Cubs roster, do they not still have one of the strongest and deepest lineups in the league? Do they not have a solid top four in their rotation?
They added Jeremy Jeffress, re-signed Brandon Morrow, and still have Craig Kimbrel, after all. If those guys are right, is that not a fantastic trio at the back end of your bullpen?
I don’t know, guys. I think the Cubbies are getting drastically overlooked.