CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – JUNE 05: Nolan Arenado #28 of the Colorado Rockies preparing to field the ball against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on June 05, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Cubs fans reacted to the Nolan Arenado news on Twitter at the start of the weekend.
Chicago Cubs fans are witnessing the team begin a new era that will likely feature more cost-cutting measures than big acquisitions. Kris Bryant may be on the move soon and there are questions about other core players on the roster.
All fans could do was sit back and watch as their top rival, the St. Louis Cardinals, made a blockbuster trade for Nolan Arenado this week. They reacted with both pain and hope about their own favorite team.
Cubs fans discuss Arenado trade
The Cardinals adding the star third baseman is not going to suddenly knock the Cubs out of contention. However, things could change if the team trades Bryant and begin to shop Javier Baez and/or Anthony Rizzo.
The Cubs are still competitive, on paper, with the current roster. Of course, fans are expecting more departures of top talent than arrivals.
This is the time of year for overreactions. Some Cubs fans are thinking the worst at a time when the team is fresh off an NL Central title in 2020. It is still possible the front office decides to run it back one more time in 2021 or even extend some current core talent. But that possibility won’t stop the usual offseason pessimism following a rival making a big move.
The Cubs have not had a losing season since 2014 and have won three division titles and a World Series during this current run of success. Is the sky officially falling because of the Arenado trade? Some fans feel that way and it is hard to blame them.