Speaking to the media days before his team’s first game of spring training, Cubs shortstop Javier Báez touched on his future with the club. The 28-year-old is entering his final season before free agency, and said his preference is to remain with the team.
“Obviously, I want to stay here…I don’t want to play for another team,” Báez said. He added that he has had conversations about signing an extension in the past and is interested in continuing those conversations with president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer, according to Maddie Lee of NBC Sports Chicago.
Báez became an everyday player for the Cubs during their championship season in 2016. He broke out in 2018, finishing second in National League MVP voting and making his first career All-Star team. He was an All-Star again in 2019, hitting .281/.316/.531 with 29 home runs in 138 games.
Báez struggled in 2020, though, posting his worst OPS (.599) and strikeout rate (31.9%) since his rookie season in 2014.
Báez also detailed how superstardom got to his head following the Cubs’ World Series title. He cited his interests off the field as distractions to putting in the work on his game, and believes he has regained his focus.
“I wasn’t into baseball,” Báez said, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. “I wasn’t trying to get better every day. I was playing with just my talent. These past three years, which last year was bad for me, I was into it. I was into baseball and that’s why it was so frustrating. But now that I’m into it again …I’ve got more confidence in me. I’m letting the game teach me what I can do.”
