Aside from exercising the $20 million team option to bring back Cole Hamels, the front office was obviously pinching pennies this offseason. After years of flirtations by Bryce Harper towards the Cubs, the front office didn’t make a serious effort to sign Harper.
The Cubs have not brought in a veteran backup catcher such as Brian McCann or Rene Rivera. Martín Maldonado is still available in free agency. He’s an excellent pitch framer, which Willson Contreras is not.