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Yes, the Chicago Cubs are in action again Wednesday, but the only story on anyone’s mind is the upcoming trade deadline and the endless stream of Cubs rumors. The obvious decisions are there in the form of Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel, but to really maximize the return at the deadline, Jed Hoyer should listen to calls on some controllable assets, too.
Catcher Willson Contreras is under contract through next season, and Kyle Hendricks through 2023. It’s very easy to see a path where the Cubs aren’t competitive in either of those two seasons but are competitive by 2024.