Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer held his end-of-season press conference on Tuesday, expressing his thoughts after the team fell short of the postseason.
Hoyer described his emotions as “disappointed, but optimistic,” noting that the team needs to improve not just to catch the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central Division but also to become a consistent contender after missing the playoffs for five of the last six seasons.
“The expectation was to make the playoffs, and we didn’t achieve that. We have to be better than 83-79,” he said. “We’re building on a solid foundation and need to get back to the postseason for our fans.”
The Cubs finished 10 games behind the Brewers in the Central and six games back in the National League Wild Card race, despite having a plus-67 run differential. A slump in May and June significantly hindered their playoff chances.
“We dug ourselves a hole that was too big,” Hoyer admitted. “It was a collective effort; it wasn’t just one issue.”
Hoyer emphasized the goal of creating a “sustainable” contender, with manager Craig Counsell aiming for 90 wins each season. He acknowledged the temptation to spend money to resolve issues but insisted that building a contender requires discipline.
He mentioned the need to add more power to the lineup, stating, “Adding more slug would be beneficial. It’s tough to string hits together with today’s pitching. We’ll always be looking for more slug.”
The Cubs’ offseason strategy may hinge on outfielder Cody Bellinger’s decision regarding the final two years of his contract. If Bellinger opts in, he would be owed $27.5 million next season. However, if he opts out, he could become a top free agent, complicating matters for the team.
“He had a good year, so he’ll have many options,” Hoyer noted. “This will affect our team-building and position fills. He’s versatile, but I expect he’ll explore many opportunities.”
Should Bellinger opt out, the Cubs might fill his spot with a prospect, with options like Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara for right field, and Pete Crow-Armstrong possibly taking a bigger role in center. Michael Busch could see more time at first base, among other possibilities for the offseason.
“Young players are incredibly valuable. We have strong contracts on our books,” Hoyer said, highlighting the team’s prospect depth and calling their position “enviable.”
Ultimately, Hoyer expressed that while he’s hopeful about the team’s development, missing the playoffs indicates a disappointing season.
“It’s pretty binary: we’re not playing today,” he said. “From Tom Ricketts on down, there’s disappointment with that.”
Free agency will begin five days after the World Series ends. The Cubs will have some financial flexibility as contracts for Kyle Hendricks and potentially Drew Smyly come off the books, along with retained salaries from previous deals.
While they have high-value contracts for Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki, and Ian Happ, they could gain even more flexibility if Bellinger opts out.
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