Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer held his end-of-season press conference Tuesday, revealing his feelings after the team missed the postseason.
Describing his feelings as “disappointed, but optimistic,” Hoyer said that there is work to do to not only catch up to the Milwaukee Brewers in the Central Division, but also to build back into a consistent contender after missing the playoffs for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
“The expectation was to play in the playoffs, and we didn’t get there. We have to be better to move beyond 83-79,” he said. “We’re building from a really great foundation, and we need to get back in the postseason for these fans.”
The Cubs finished 10 games behind the Brewers in the Central, but also finished six games behind the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the National League Wild Card race. The team did have a plus-67 run differential on the year, but couldn’t rebound from a slump in May and June that put them in a tough spot in their playoff quest.
“We dug ourselves a hole that was much too big,” Hoyer said. “We did that collectively. It wasn’t just one factor.”
The Cubs are aiming to build a “sustainable” contender, Hoyer said, with manager Craig Counsell saying that the goal should be to win 90 games each season. Hoyer said that the temptation would be to spend money to address the issues, but that building a contender “requires discipline” as well.
He did say that the team will aim to add more power to their lineup.
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“Adding more slug would be beneficial,” he said. ‘Scoring quickly is what you want. It’s hard to string hits together given the pitching today. We’ll always be looking for more slug.”
The team’s offseason plans will potentially hinge on the decision of outfielder Cody Bellinger, who can opt out of the final two years of a contract he signed with the Cubs prior to the 2024 season. According to Spotrac, Bellinger would be owed $27.5 million next season if he opts in, but if he were to opt out he would likely be one of the top hitters available on the free agent market, making his decision more complicated.
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“He had a good year, so he’ll have a lot of options,” Hoyer said. “Obviously it will impact team-building, figuring out what positions we’re filling. He’s versatile, but I expect he’ll have a lot of options.”
If Bellinger opts out, the Cubs could end up filling his spot in the lineup with a prospect, with Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcántara both potential options for right field, with Pete Crow-Armstrong taking on a bigger role in center field. Michael Busch could get more time at first base, with the Cubs potentially looking at other options as well heading into the offseason.
"Young players are the most valuable currency there is. We have incredibly good contracts on our books,” Hoyer said of the team’s prospect depth, saying that the team is in an “enviable position” in that regard.
At the end of the day, Hoyer said that while he’s optimistic about the players the team is developing, the fact remains that missing the postseason is indicative of a failed season.
“It’s pretty binary: we’re not playing today,” he said. “We’re having a press conference today, and from Tom (Ricketts) on down, there’s a level of disappointment with that.”
Free agency will kick off five days after the conclusion of the World Series. The Cubs will have some money coming off the books, with Kyle Hendricks hitting free agency, the team likely to decline the contract option on pitcher Drew Smyly, and with retained salaries from previous deals also falling off.
They will still have high-value contracts for Dansby Swanson, Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ on the books, but could have even more flexibility if Bellinger ultimately opts out of his deal.
