In a surprising development, the Cubs decided the future is now.

They were expected to be mid-season sellers a week or two ago but instead find themselves winners of nine of their last 11 games and in play in both the National League Central and wild card races. They not only held onto veterans Cody Bellinger and Marcus Stroman but added a big piece before Monday’s trade deadline.

Jeimer Candelario, acquired from Washington for shortstop Kevin Made and left-hander DJ Herz, is a switch hitter who balances the lineup while strengthening the infield corners. He started his big-league career with the 2016 Cubs and played first base in his return on Tuesday night, contributing four hits to a 20-9 victory over Cincinnati.

The win left the 54-53 Cubs four games behind the Reds in the NL Central and in sixth place in the NL wild-card race, 3 1/2 games out. This mid-season surge is welcomed by a fan base that was aghast when the Tom Ricketts regime traded Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez in July, 2021, rather than sign them to contract extensions.

Ricketts said he would spend again when the time was right and has lived up to those words. While extending the contracts of outfielder Ian Happ and second baseman Nico Hoerner, the Cubs have imported free agents Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, Jameson Taillon, Stroman and Bellinger.

Candelario, who was non-tendered by Detroit after delivering a career-low .633 OPS last season, signed a one-year, $5 million deal with Washington. The 29-year-old has bounced back with a season that should restore his free-agent value next fall. He’s put together a slash line of .265/.348/.488 in 100 games, with 16 home runs and 53 RBI.

With him on board, the Cubs’ Competitive Balance Tax payroll figure increases to $228,784,209, per Cots Contracts. That’s less than $5 million away from this year’s tax threshold of $233 million.

Bellinger, signed to a one-year, $17.5 deal with a mutual option for 2024, is looking more like the 2019 NL Most Valuable Player than the hitter of recent years. He has a slash line of .317/.367/.545 and was one of the most hotly rumored trade chips before last week, when the Cubs decided to hold onto him.

Stroman, signed to a three-year, $71 million contract after a 33-start season for the Mets in 2021, had been expected to be traded before a recent downturn in performance. He was 10-6 with a 2.88 ERA before giving up 17 earned runs over 10 innings in his last three starts.

Stroman’s contract included an opt-out clause after the 2023 season. It seemed certain he would return to free agency rather than play for $21 million in ’24. That is probably still the case but the Cubs may have a chance to extend his contract before he has to make a decision on the opt-out clause.

The Cubs also face a big decision with Bellinger. He has primarily been their center fielder this season but could shift to first base next year, as top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong (acquired from the Mets in the Baez trade) has advanced to Triple-A, with an eye on the Opening Day roster.

Bellinger’s mutual option is for $25 million, with a $5 million buyout. He is not likely to exercise his end of it so it falls to the Cubs’ front office to negotiate an extension that keeps him off the free-agent market.

The Cubs have designated for assignment first baseman Trey Mancini, who will be owed his $7 million salary for 2024 when he is released. Their flexibility for ’24 will be helped by Jason Heyward’s contract coming off the books. They paid him $21.28 million this season after releasing him in 2022.