Chicago Cubs: Jason Heyward’s slow, painful progression

It is no secret that Jason Heyward has struggled since he signed with the Chicago Cubs in the 2015-16 offseason. But is there cause for cautious optimism?

When Jason Heyward signed an eight-year, $184 million deal with the Chicago Cubs in December 2015, he was coming off of his best season in the bigs. That year, as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, he slashed .293/.359/.439 and posted career-highs with 23 stolen bases and a 5.6 fWAR.

Since he arrived on the North Side, however, Heyward has not been able to replicate the success that he had with the Redbirds. In three seasons with the Cubs, Heyward has averaged a wRC+ of just over 86 and has hit a cumulative 26 home runs while also…