David Ross Will Likely Retire After 2016 Season With Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are still five months away from starting their 2016 season, but one player has already indicated that the campaign will likely be his last

The Chicago Cubs won’t start the 2016 season for another five months, but one player has already hinted at the possibility that it will be his last season.

That player is catcher David Ross, who is entering the second year of a two-year contract he signed before the 2015 campaign. Ross, who was Jon Lester’s personal catcher and a defensive stalwart for the Cubs, hinted that he would be retiring after the 2016 season in a radio interview Monday.

“I think this is probably going to be it for me,” he told MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM. “Time to be a dad. I’m going to give it one more run.”

Ross appeared in 72 games for the Cubs during the 2015 season, batting .176 and driving in nine runs. While he was a liability at the plate, his defense proved invaluable as Lester adjusted to more run-happy teams in the National League, and he had several key pick-offs throughout the year.

With Ross likely wrapping up his career after 2016, the team’s attention will turn to replacing him in the future. Kyle Schwarber will continue to get reps at catcher, although he’s likely to play a lot of left field in the coming season, and prospects like Wilson Contreras could also get a look late in the season as the team plans for their future.

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