CHICAGO — When Cubs Manager Joe Maddon allowed himself to gaze around the diamond on Friday night, it was hard not to envision many more trips to the World Series in the years to come.
Anthony Rizzo, at 27, is the old man of the infield. The catcher Willson Contreras is 24. The right fielder Jorge Soler is 24. The slugger Kyle Schwarber, relegated to pinch-hitting duty for the moment, is just 23.
“Beyond today, beyond these next couple days, that makes me think just check these guys out in a couple years,” Maddon said.