The Chicago Cubs are far from the World Series champion they were not so long ago. Most of their stars are long gone, and it'll be a long while before they're back in contention.
But Willson Contreras continues to stay strong and lead his team by example. Unfortunately, though, that might change by the end of this season.
Despite his team's subpar season, Contreras continues to be one of the best in the game. He's leading fan voting in his position to represent the National League in the All-Star Game. This time, it means more for him:
“To wear the Cubs jersey in the All-Star Game, I’m proud of that,” Contreras told The Athletic. “This is my house. This has been my home for 14 years. I don’t think many players can say that. The first time that I got here was 2009 and nobody was here. I’ve seen everybody come to this club. Wearing the jersey of the Cubs, it means a lot to me. It’s going to mean a lot to my family because they gave me the opportunity to become a professional baseball player. Hopefully, we get to share it with my brother. We would have a nice party, for sure.”
Besides being potentially his final All-Star Game as a member of the Cubs, he could also have the chance to play alongside his younger brother William, ranked second in DH voting. However, he doesn't want to get ahead of that:
“We haven’t talked about it,” Contreras said. “Sometimes, we feel like if we talk about something that can be out of reach, we put pressure on ourselves instead of letting the thing happen for us. Let’s keep playing the way we’ve been playing all year and see what happens.”
Contreras is well aware of the fact that he could switch teams by the end of the season. But he won't let that get in the way and he'll continue to drive himself how he's done it thus far:
“I’m not thinking about the trade deadline,” Contreras said. “I’m thinking of doing a good job on the field and off the field. I’m doing my best to keep these guys on track and help them any way I can.”
Once considered a volatile player with a temper, Contreras now looks to lead by example, especially during these difficult times:
"Willson’s been in a really good place mentally,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “I almost think he’s probably even more relaxed this year than I’ve seen him.”
That's why the Cubs should consider keeping him around even if they don't want to pay for his services, as you can't buy leadership.
