The Cubs kicked off their pre-deadline sale on Thursday night with the trade of outfielder Joc Pederson. Chicago is expected to be active on the trade market in the coming weeks.
Chicago will likely deal slugger Kris Bryant and closer Craig Kimbrel before July 31, per MLB Network's Jon Heyman. But not every marquee Cub is guaranteed to leave by the end of the month. Chicago will reportedly look to sign shortstop Javier Báez and first baseman Anthony Rizzo to contract extensions, with both deals potentially reaching nine figures. While the Cubs are all-but-eliminated from the 2021 playoff race, perhaps a multi-year rebuild isn't on the horizon.