Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said he was “very confident” the team will sign star first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a contract extension. The declaration comes just two days after it was reported that contract talks between Rizzo and the Cubs had come to a halt Monday.
Rizzo reportedly told his agents to stop negotiating so that he could concentrate on the 2021 season, according to ESPN.
“It doesn’t look like at this time anything is going to be finalized,” Rizzo told reporters on a Monday morning Zoom. “With [the] Opening Day deadline, we feel really strong about it. We’ve had enough time to talk and figure it out. I’ve told my agents not to talk to me about it anymore.”
Rizzo is entering the second year of his two-year option with the team after his seven-year, $41 million contract finished in 2019. The three-time All Star is reportedly looking for a multi-year deal worth roughly $100 million, but the Cubs have not come close to that in their offers, according to ESPN.
Like many of the Cubs in 2020, Rizzo is coming off his worst offensive season, when he hit .222 with 11 home runs over 203 plate appearances appearances. His place in Cubs lore, though, is undeniable for his role in helping them return to prominence and end their 108-year World Series title drought in 2016. In nine seasons with Chicago, Rizzo is slashing .274/.374/.492 and 228 home runs.
The Cubs finished on top of the NL Central division at 34–26.
