Amid dark rebuilding years, one slugger ignited Cubs fandom with prodigious power, even setting a rookie home run record.
Many Chicago Cubs fans will not remember much from 2021 to 2023.
These were the dark days of the organization, as the team headed for a rebuild. Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez were all traded during the 2021 Trade Deadline, and David Ross was eventually let go as the manager following the 2023 season.
The Cubs went 228-258 over those three years, which included two losing seasons in 2021 and 2022. They went 71-91 with a fourth-place finish in the National League Central in 2021 and went 74-88 with a third-place finish in the NL Central in 2022.
There was simply not much to take away from this three-year period. The team struggled to stay competitive and was clearly loading up for the future.
However, one player quickly became a fan favorite during this stretch. Amid a time of disappointment, Patrick Wisdom quickly made a name for himself in the Cubs organization and brought some excitement.
Wisdom launched 28 home runs in 2021, hit another 25 home runs in 2022, and then belted 23 home runs in 2023. His 28 home runs during that 2021 campaign broke the Cubs franchise record for most home runs by a rookie in a season, passing Bryant’s previous record of 26.
Wisdom might not have done anything other than hit home runs, but that’s what made him a fan favorite in his short time with the Cubs. It always felt like he could hit a home run anytime he stepped up to the plate.
Chicago eventually had to move on from Wisdom ahead of the 2025 season after struggling for most of the 2024 campaign. The former first-round pick slashed just .171/.237/.392 with eight home runs and 23 RBI across 75 games.
The 34-year-old, though, continues to display that power that so many Cubs fans saw for multiple years.
Wisdom hit .236 with 35 home runs and 85 RBI across 119 games with the Kia Tigers in the Korea Baseball Organization during the 2025 season and is now tearing it up at the Triple-A level in the Seattle Mariners organization.
The former Cubs slugger signed a Minor League deal with the Mariners in early January. Although Wisdom didn’t make Seattle’s Opening Day roster, he has been on fire at Triple-A Tacoma to begin the 2026 season.
Wisdom is batting .286 with nine home runs and 17 RBI across 49 plate appearances this year. Cheney Stadium is an extremely hitter-friendly ballpark, and the seven-year veteran is taking full advantage of it.
If he continues to hit the ball well in the Minors, Wisdom could get another shot in the big leagues.