The Cubs season just ended with a sweep to the Marlins in the NL Wild Card Series. What the future holds is unclear, but if one thing is certain, it's that shortstop Javier Báez wants to remain a Cub for life.
"I hope I never leave this city in my whole career, but anything can happen," Báez said after Friday's game. "Hopefully I stay here my whole career.
"I love the fans, the dedication that they got for this team, and the other teams in the other sports for Chicago. We'll see what happens and hopefully I'll stay here.
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Báez, who's under contract through next season, and the Cubs were discussing a contract extension last offseason. He expressed optimism that talks were progressing in March prior to baseball's COVID-19 shutdown.
MLB has felt the pandemic's financial impact in this 60-game season, and the financial outlook for next season and beyond is hard to predict. Báez feels comfortable in Chicago and with the Cubs, the only organization he's ever known.
"I'm pretty sure there's not another organization like this one," he said. "I've never been in another one but I feel like everybody that comes through here, they don't want to leave."
As far as his future goes, Anthony Rizzo could become a free agent this winter. The Cubs hold a $16.5 million option on his contract for 2021, the final year of the deal.
MLB
"I'm not worried about that stuff," Rizzo said Friday. "This life will take care of itself. Everything will take care of itself the way it's supposed to.
"I'll just leave it at that."