Javier Baez expects to rebound from a subpar 2020 season — and reiterates his desire to remain with the Chicago Cubs: ‘I don’t want to play for another team’

If Chicago Cubs shortstop Javier Baez has his way, he won’t be playing in another uniform this time next year.

Baez made his hopes clear after Friday’s workout, stating multiple times his desire to remain in Chicago. Now he and the Cubs must find middle ground on a contract extension. They have had discussions the past two or three spring trainings, Baez said, and while they haven’t been formal conversations, he expects those talks will happen at some point during camp. Baez said he probably will set a contract-extension deadline to avoid in-season distractions.

“I don’t like to play with that pressure, which I’m always saying that I don’t play with pressure, but it’s always there,” Baez said. “I always try to keep it away. ... We’ll see what happens, where we are it in the conversation.

“I want to stay here,” he reiterated. “I don’t want to play for another team. Just to know the way that our fans show us the love and that I won here, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

If Baez, 28, and Cubs are unable to agree on a deal, he will be joining a stacked free-agent class of shortstops. Francisco Lindor (New York Mets), Carlos Correa (Houston Astros), Corey Seager (Los Angeles Dodgers) and Trevor Story (Colorado Rockies) also will be free agents this winter.

“I don’t compare my career with other shortstop or other players,” Baez said. “I know there’s a lot of them that are going to be free agents this year, but I play my game and I just let my game talk.”

Baez and the Cubs fully expect his 2020 season to be an aberration. He acknowledged how difficult it was not having access to in-game video last year, which is a staple of his game. He felt rushed and couldn’t make the necessary adjustments during the abbreviated two-month season. Between eased restrictions on video availability and fans back in the stands, a return to normal — or at least close to it — stands to benefit Baez greatly.

“I was not mentally ready for what happened last year,” Baez said. “But I always like to compete. ... Last year offensively was tough for me and this year now that we’ve got the video, I’ve got that comfort, it’s going to be great for me.”

His struggles last year affected every part of his offensive game. He finished with a .203 average, .238 on-base percentage, .599 OPS, 59 OPS+ and struck out in nearly one-third of his plate appearances. Baez’s skill set makes him a special talent, however, and it’s a big part of why the organization expects him to return to form.

Baez is an entertainer on the field when he’s loose and being himself. Sometimes a player’s value can’t be quantified by numbers, though he is backed by strong metrics aside from his dismal 2020. From 2016-19, Baez produced a .280/.319/.504 line with a 112 OPS+, two All-Star appearances and a 2018 runner-up finish to the Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich for the National League MVP.

Baez’s charisma, defensive wizardry and energy bring a different element to the Cubs.

“The baseball instincts just are off the chart, and the way he plays, how exciting it is and smooth,” Cubs manager David Ross said. “It’s smooth with a little bit of flash, which I’ve learned to love. He’s exciting in that way. And then defensively he does some special things, but I think his all around game is what is fun.”

It’s no secret Baez feeds off fans’ energy. His style, especially defensively, fuels fans and in return give him a boost on the field. It was impossible to replicate that vibe in front of empty seats and cardboard cutouts. While every team had to deal with it, the quiet atmosphere affected Baez.

He wasn’t alone in feeling that way. But Ross said Baez definitely will benefit the most from playing in front of fans again. Even a small contingency, as cities are prepared to slowly increase the amount of fans permitted in ballparks, is expected to bring out another level in Baez.

“It was the worst, to be honest,” Baez said of the empty ballparks. “It was worse than facing a pitcher in spring training on the back field. I didn’t like it at all.”

Baez has sensed a hunger returning to the Cubs, something he felt was missing in the aftermath of the team’s 2016 World Series championship. On a personal level, Baez said he mentally got away from baseball. There were distractions. Rocketing celebrity from the team’s success, participating in things such as ESPN’s The Body Issue and seeing his profile grow detracted from his game.

“I wanted to play baseball, and people were not seeing me as a baseball player,” Baez explained. “So that’s why I kind of, I didn’t get away from it, but I wasn’t into baseball. I wasn’t trying to get better every day. I was playing because of my talent. These past two years I was into baseball. ... And that’s why it was so frustrating for me (last year).”

In self-evaluating last season, Baez said he lost trust in himself. He isn’t trying to use the lack of fans or video as excuses for his poor 2020 performance. He knows he must be better, regardless of his looming free agency.

“Fans know me because of my defense,” Baez said. “Everybody knew I was struggling. I never took that to my defense. It was the whole year, it wasn’t in some of the games, it was the whole year. I wasn’t taking my offense to my defense, I was competing even knowing it was going to be tough for me.”