Chicago Cubs: Is the club giving up on 2021 season too soon?
The Chicago Cubs entered the 2021 season in a conundrum. Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo are all on expiring deals, and a quick way to rebuild the club would be to trade one, two, or all three for young talent.
Then the Cubs started winning. So much so, it seemed like the playoffs were a certainty and this bunch would make one more run. About that. The Cubs went from first to 9.5 games back in a matter of about 10 days.
This has caused team executive Jed Hoyer to state the obvious about how the team has shifted its focus.
Cubs president Jed Hoyer: “Eleven days ago, we were fully on the buy side of (the trade deadline), everyone was calling about that. Obviously, people are now calling to see which players are available, so it’s a very different scenario than we expected. Life comes at you fast.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) July 8, 2021
Should Cubs keep on competing?
Of course, Hoyer did not come right out and say a major rebuild is taking place. However, it is no secret the Cubs cannot, or are choosing not to, sign all three big stars. This recent slide could end up being the perfect excuse to make a move and gain some assets in return.
Fans must also remember it is possible the Cubs trade the likes of Bryant, Rizzo, or Baez and still retain them in the offseason. That is not an unheard of plan, however, some players may be rubbed the wrong way.
But back to the question of timing. Are the Cubs giving up too soon if they start making deals right after the All-Star break? The team enters play Friday at 43-45 and 9.5 games back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. Barring some sort of major winning streak, the timing may end up being just right given the impending July 30 deadline.
A team cannot wait too long, and ultimately it does help the future of the franchise to get young talent in return for two-month rentals of their star players. Once again, a trade does not mean there is zero shot reunions cannot happen in the offseason.
dark. Next. Cubs ready to wave white flag on 2021 season
The Cubs looked like a contender just a few weeks ago. But it is tough to bounce back from such a losing streak especially if a ton of the focus in the clubhouse is on potential trades. The organization can get a small reset with some trades and while fans will be upset in the short-term, another World Series was never a given in 2021.