There are a lot of things that the Chicago Cubs have done over the last few years that have made them look bad. However, few things come close to as bad as the fact that they are about to lose Willson Contreras for absolutely nothing.
It didn’t work when they let Kyle Schwarber go for nothing and then he went on to be one of the best players over the last two MLB postseasons. Now, they are testing their luck again with Willson Contreras.
They had a chance to trade Contreras ahead of the 2022 MLB Trade Deadline. It seemed like a sure thing that both he and Ian Happ were going to be gone but neither of them ended up being dealt. Well, At least Happ will likely be with the team in 2023.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network is reporting that the Chicago Cubs have extended a qualifying offer to him that is worth 19.65 million dollars. He is also reporting that Contreras is going to decline it which makes him a free agent.
The Willson Contreras news is making the Chicago Cubs look terrible.
Once again, this makes the Chicago Cubs look so bad. They let that guy sit around in tears as he did a little farewell tour around town just to not be traded. Now, he is likely leaving for good without getting anything in return for him.
There are plenty of teams that would have given up something for him at the deadline. He is a great catcher defensively that can also play in the outfield if needed. He has no issue with playing wherever the team needs him the most.
He is also a brilliant hitter which makes him even more valuable as he can still play on his off days now that the NL has a DH. The NL DH will also help prolong his career as he can take more breaks from catching while still applying his bat to the lineup. He can also become a full-time DH late in his career.
Now, this isn’t a guarantee that he is gone as the Cubs can still sign him as a free agent but it just doesn’t feel likely. No matter what though, he is someone that will always be loved in town. He will certainly find success with whatever is next for him in the future.
