The final home game of the year is always a special one at Wrigley Field, since it’s the last time you’ll see this particular group of players until the following April. Well, for some. For others, it might be the final time you ever see them in a Chicago Cubs uniform.
It was a nice and emotional touch today, then, when manager David Ross pulled Willson Contreras off the bases late in the win over the Reds so that Contreras could get a standing ovation from the fans as he left the field:
It’s emotional. It’s emotional for the fans, and it’s obviously very emotional for Contreras:
After the win, the players all came out on the field to join the fans in ‘Go Cubs Go,’ and also to say farewell:
And as the players returned to the dugout to finish their day and prepare for a final road trip, Willson Contreras stayed out on the field for a final salute:
The conversation with and about Contreras is far from over, so we’ll get back into it shortly. But for today, it’s just … thank you for everything, Willson. We loved it.