David Ross jogged off the field in a heavy downpour in St. Louis after his team secured a 3-2 victory over the Cardinals in what was the 2021 season finale last October. It was a game that was anything but normal as the game included multiple rain delays and an eventual 8th inning stoppage due to the conditions in which it only seemed fitting to what was the end of a season of two tales.

After sitting atop the NL Central League standings for the better part of May and June, the Cubs entered a mid-season free fall that would end them up in 4th place with a record of 71-91 to close out the 2021 season.

One may think that it would be foolish to speculate that the Cubs have a chance to contend this season, but with loads of young talent and off season signings the Cubs may have a better chance than many may think.

Over the offseason the Cubs made a big splash in signing star Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki to an $85 million contract spanning over five years. The deal made Suzuki the highest paid position player coming to the Majors from Japan.

The 27 year old finds himself in the midst of the best stretch of his career posting an .319 batting average along with 38 home runs, and 88 RBI’s with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp last year.

Cubs manager Davis Ross said, “The player (Suzuki) has a unique skill set that has value in MLB. We’re going to add as much talent in this organization as we possibly can because that’s what winning organizations have.”

The Cubs also added talent to their pitching rotation this offseason, signing former Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman to a three year deal worth north of $70 million. The deal brought one of the best pitchers on the free agent market to the Cubs. Some consider it the biggest signing for the Cubs since the Yu Darvish signing in 2018.

Stroman won the Gold Glove Award in 2017 and was an All Star in his 2019 year campaign. Stroman has a career ERA of 3.63. Prior to playing for the Mets, Stroman played six years for the Blue Jays.

Cubs president Jed Hoyer said in a press conference after signing Stroman, “He’s got a great mix, he keeps the ball on the ground and definitely limits hard contact. We really like his athleticism and his fiery approach. I think that he’s got a real desire to evolve as a pitcher. I think we’ve already seen it since his college days. He keeps adding new tricks, and I like guys that are always trying to get better.”

The signings of Stroman and Suzuki fill some of the biggest holes the Cubs were facing in the off season. The Cubs now have solidified their outfield with Happ, Suzuki, and Hayward which was a concern going into the off season. The signing of Stroman gives the Cubs some more strength to their pitching rotation as Hendricks and Stroman will work as the Cubs top pitchers entering the season.

The Cubs also signed manager David Ross to a 3 year contract extension keeping him in town at least until 2024 with an option for 2025. Ross found success in the manager position after serving as the Cubs catcher for two years. Through his first two season has steadied the Cubs to an 105-117 record despite many of the best players being dealt away.

With the Cubs having lots of talent and young prospects they have the potential to make some noise in the NL Central Division. If the Cubs can find the success that they had in the early part of last season they may pose a threat to the top spot, and with the season only one week away, many Cubs fans wonder if this may be the second wind of a team that once looked like the beginning of a dynasty.