Rejoice, good people, for the complete 2018 ZiPS projections are here, and the numbers are heartening. In fact, the Cubs project for at least 3 fWAR at every single position. Every. Single. One.
We’ll get to the unimposing pitching staff in the next go-round, but let’s first start with the hitters, led by Kris Bryant (5.8 WAR), Anthony Rizzo (4.9), and Addison Russell (3.0). Yes, Addison Russell is projected as the third-most-valuable Cubs player for next season by WAR alone. Just behind him is Willson Contreras (2.8), whose impact behind the plate is inherently difficult for any computer to project.