Chicago Cubs path forward will be charted in May

The Chicago Cubs find themselves at a crossroads this season. They have several big names as impending free agents, but there has been little traction in regards to any extensions. In fact, there has not been any rumors of talks or progress at this point.

But that may be by design. The Cubs are not certain which direction they are going to take yet, with May being the deciding factor.

Chicago Cubs waiting to figure out path forward

As Morosi indicated, the Cubs have had a solid month thus far, with a 9-5 record heading into Tuesday’s slate of action. They are back to .500 on the year, just 2.5 games out of the lead in the NL Central. Things are looking up in Chicago.

But there is still a lot of baseball left, even this month. There are two weeks left before the calendar flips to June, when the Cubs will make their decision on how to proceed. Just because they had a strong start to the month does not mean it will continue. Likewise, even if the Cubs finish well, that does not mean that the Cardinals and/or Brewers, both of which are ahead in the standings, will not pull away.

This month could impact more than the Cubs’ plans at the trade deadline. A strong showing could lead to those extension talks re-igniting, especially with Anthony Rizzo, who had previously stated that he expected to remain in town.

As it stands, the Cubs themselves are delaying the inevitable. Even if they attempt one last stand and push to return to the postseason, they are still staring down a rebuilding process. With questions about labor harmony this offseason, Cubs’ ownership may not be willing to spend what it would need to supplement the roster.

The Chicago Cubs are at a crossroads. According to reports, the next two weeks will determine what direction they take this season.