As the 2016 MLB season approaches, SN's Jesse Spector will examine each team's outlook. Today: the Cubs.
2015: 97-65, third place in National League Central, lost to Mets in NLCS
Key arrivals: OF Jason Heyward, RHP John Lackey, 2B Ben Zobrist
Key departures: 2B Starlin Castro, OF Chris Coghlan, RHP Dan Haren
MORE: Records that could be broken in '16 | SPECTOR: Is Rizzo MVP-bound?
Best-case scenario: Not only do the Cubs have everything go according to plan, with another Cy Young-worth season from Jake Arrieta, results matching performance for Jon Lester, impact contributions from their free-agent additions and strides toward their prime for young players such as Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell, Jorge Soler and Kyle Schwarber, but a series of misfortunes befall the Cardinals and Pirates.