Dexter Fowler will decline option with the Chicago Cubs for 2017

Chicago Cubs center fielder, Dexter Fowler, will enter free agency rather than exercising an option to stay with the 2016 world-champion team.

Dexter Fowler and the Chicago Cubs originally agreed to a one year contract for 2016 with a mutual option worth $9 million for 2017. The mutual option requires both the player and the club to agree to the terms and therefore, it only takes one side to decline it.

It may not be a surprise but according to ESPN, Fowler stated on Thursday that he intends on declining the option and entering free agency. Fowler’s decision isn’t shocking after the season he has had with the Cubs.

Through 125 games the switch hitter batted .276/.393/.447 with 13 home runs and 13 stolen bases. Fowler also improved his defensive metrics this season once he began to position himself a bit deeper in the outfield. In the 2016 postseason, Fowler batted .250/.280/.444 with six RBIs and three home runs, including the lead off home run in Game 7 of the World Series against Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians.

Last season, Fowler was given a qualifying offer which limited his market forcing him to return to the Cubs at a price well below what he earned. He won’t make the mistake of being underpaid again.

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“I’m definitely going to be a free agent, but hopefully it happens a little bit quicker than last year,” Fowler said, per ESPN. “You can’t control what goes on, but I loved my time in Chicago and I’m definitely not counting them out, but we’ll see what God has planned for us now.”

Given his great season and a very solid postseason showing, the lead off batter should do a lot better than $9 million on the free agent market. The 30-year old isn’t counting out the Cubs, but with him heading towards the biggest payday of his career, he can’t count out other teams either.