The Chicago Cubs have been one of the best teams in Baseball so far this season. Led by an elite offense, the Cubs have sprinted out to a 22-14 record. They have also garnered a four-game lead in the National League Central division.
An offensive outburst led by the outfield
A huge reason for this has been the offensive output of their outfield. After the acquisition of superstar Kyle Tucker this past offseason, the Cubs were able to supercharge their offense into a new gear. This has helped budding star Pete Crow-Armstrong to realize his potential at the plate as well.
But the Cubs may have a dilemma on their hands. Tucker is set to be a free agent after the season, and he will cost a pretty penny. Additionally, young star Crow-Armstrong will one day be a prized free agent of his own, but the Cubs may want to lock him up years before he can hit the open market to get a discount.
Making an appearance on 670 The Score, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman gave his thoughts on the Cubs’ financial dilemma.
“Well, they should be able to afford both guys,” Heyman continued. “Their revenues are very high. This is a very successful franchise; they’ve done great from a business standpoint…They got to sign PCA… you’re gonna get a good deal on him at this point… You could do it for $100 million or less, which is nothing in today’s day and age. Tucker, it seems like he’s willing to talk in-season, so that is a great sign to get something done. I had a rival executive tell me they got to put the $500 million in front of him, they’re not gonna do that, that’s not the Cubs. But you have to make him a good offer.”
Heyman just explained what all Chicago fans already knew: The Cubs have no excuse not to keep their current core intact.
Cubs have been risk-averse
Despite being one of MLB’s most beloved franchises, the Cubs don’t spend like it. In a league where 16 players have signed contracts for over $300 million, the Cubs haven’t even crossed the $200 million mark yet. The largest contract they have ever given out was the eight-year, $184 million deal given to Jason Heyward before the 2016 season.
Heyward wasn’t nearly as productive as the Cubs had hoped. But the veteran right fielder did play a pivotal role in their World Series championship. If the Cubs want to re-up their current right-fielder, they’ll have to spend a lot more than what they did for Heyward.
Reports are split on the actual dollar amount, but the truth is that Chicago will have to far exceed their previous record if they want any chance to sign Tucker. But as pointed out by Heyman, the Cubs do just fine financially and shouldn’t act like the Moneyball Athletics. The Cubs rank fifth in all of Major League Baseball in average attendance, with 33,972 according to ESPN.
It was reported earlier in the season that Crow-Armstrong declined a 6-year, $75 million extension with the Cubs. While he should be much easier to extend than Tucker, his recent ascension is only going to raise his price.
Chicago is currently faced with a good problem to have. They have multiple superstar outfielders who could become icons at Wrigley for years to come. It will be interesting to see how the Ricketts family handles this situation. It could determine whether or not they lose favor with Cubs fans.