Jason Kipnis Officially Added to Cubs Opening Day Roster

These days are exciting for sports fans everywhere, since baseball is set to return on Thursday, July 23rd featuring a game between the New York Yankees and the reigning champs, Washington Nationals.
These days are equally exciting for Chicago Cubs’ second baseman, Jason Kipnis.
Kipnis, who has spent the first nine years of his Major League career with the Cleveland Indians, had his club option declined by the team that drafted him back in October of 2019. Fortunately for Kipnis, his true home team came calling. In February, Kipnis signed a minor league deal with the Chicago Cubs.
Kipnis has long been a critical piece of the Indians’ structure, but several injuries have dropped his production precipitously. If healthy, he could prove to be a largely successful player for the Cubs. He is 33, which, in baseball years, means he is on the decline of his career, but a shortened season, may be just what he needs to prove his prowess again.
Kipnis is a native of Northbrook, Illinois, a northwestern suburb of Chicago. Kipnis grew up a big fan of the Chicago Cubs and attended Glenbrook North High School as the star baseball player. The opportunity for Kipnis to return to the area to be a part of his childhood team is a dream come true for Kipnis. Maybe the nostalgia will play favorably for him.
Jason Kipnis is probably best known in Chicago for making our hearts stop for multiple moments in the 2016 World Series while the Northbrook native was on the Indians. He smashed a couple critical homeruns, scored on a memorable wild pitch from Jon Lester, in relief, in Game 7, then he hit the loudest, most deflating foul ball ever in the 9th inning of the same game (a ball, that if fair, would have won the game). But, you know the rest of the story: the Cubs staved off the Indians’ effort and won the first World Series for the long-suffering franchise since 1908. Exhilarating for the Cubs, less so for Jason Kipnis.
Maybe, just maybe, this year Kipnis will hoist the World Series trophy, now as a member of his favorite team, the Chicago Cubs.