Chicago Cubs planning, hoping for Summer of Reclamation at Wrigley

It may not say it on the promotional schedule, but Chicago Cubs fans will be treated all season to an interesting game of spinning the wheel and seeing what prize (or lack thereof) shows up when it comes to two of their biggest name signings of the offseason.

With Cody Bellinger and Eric Hosmer, Chicago Cubs are counting on the bounciest of all bounce back seasons

It was reported on Wednesday that Eric Hosmer and the Cubs were in agreement on a deal that would land the 33-year-old first baseman at Wrigley for the 2023 campaign. The deal is a low-risk, high-reward proposition as the vast majority of Hosmer’s salary will be paid by the San Diego Padres while the Cubs will be responsible for just the league minimum.

If Hosmer, who last earned a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger during the 2017 season with the Kansas City Royals, can return to form (or close to it where he has averaged a .277/.336/.428 slash line with 19 homers and 86 RBI in a 162-game average over his 12 MLB seasons), the Cubs will have made a smart move that will improve an infield that already added Dansby Swanson as well this offseason. If Hosmer struggles with health and performance as he did after being traded to the Boston Red Sox from San Diego at last season’s MLB trade deadline, the Cubs will lose little and likely see exactly how much rookie Matt Mervis can handle at first.

While Cub eyes will be on Hosmer’s performance, don’t overlook those same eyes wandering to the Wrigley outfield to see how Cody Bellinger is responding to his first season outside of Chavez Ravine after being non-tendered by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Signed to a one-year, $17.5 million deal, the 2017 National League Rookie of the Year and 2019 NL MVP is looking to show that he can indeed recapture the magic that made him one of the most feared hitters in the Los Angeles lineup before the pandemic.

Neither Hosmer or Bellinger are a sure thing at this stage of their careers. Both are looking to show that they can still contribute, and the Cubs are counting on just that in an effort to climb back up the NL Central ladder. It’s a marriage of players needing to show their value and a franchise needing another spark or two as it rebuilds. The question is just how solid that marriage will be as the 2023 campaign rolls along. Can the bricks and ivy provide the change of scenery Hosmer and Bellinger need?

So step right up, Cubs fans. Watch as your team spins the wheel and hopes it lands on a winning number with a pair of names who have had great pasts and also potential (and plenty of questions) for the future.