Going back to the summer, the Chicago Cubs were coming off a disastrous season in which they blew a late Wild Card lead and were once again eliminated from the playoffs. Injuries to the bullpen were a big cause for their ultimate collapse, and it appeared that the organization would prioritize upgrading that area before going on the 2024 season.
With some high-profile players on the open market or appearing available via trade, there was some anticipation that the Cubs would be aggressive in the offseason and assemble a club capable of competing for the division title and returning to the playoffs.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73429576/usa_today_22276299.0.jpg)
Giving Craig Counsell the most lucrative managerial contract in Major League Baseball history suggested they were heading in that route, especially after firing David Ross to get this done.
Chairman Tom Ricketts and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer promised to put together a contending squad, giving supporters hope that after a few years of watching other teams play fall baseball, they will be able to see their own team compete for a championship.
Instead, they saw putative targets end up with other franchises, as Chicago was one of the last teams in the league to make an offseason addition.
Upgrades at third base, bullpen, and first base, which appeared like obvious places to address, remained unanswered.
When everything was said and done, the Cubs added Shota Imanaga, the second-best international pitcher, Michael Busch, and an unproven MLB product, Yency Almonte, experienced reliever Hector Neris, and Cody Bellinger, when it appeared that neither party was interested in a reunion.
Given that Juan Soto was traded, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto were free agents, and Pete Alonso was reportedly being shopped for the right price, the outcome of Chicago’s winter felt disappointing, especially after Matt Chapman and Blake Snell signed team-friendly contracts late in the process.
Imanaga has performed far better than expected, and Busch appears to be a future star, but Almonte is out for the season, Neris has been a rollercoaster despite his strong results, and Bellinger has taken a step back.
Finally, roster construction is a big reason why the Cubs are expected to be sellers and miss the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.
Yes, injuries have plagued this team all season, but the blame also falls on the front office.
Finally, the buck stops with Hoyer.
Since taking over his present role on November 17, 2020, following Theo Epstein’s resignation, the high-profile executive has failed to assemble a contending club and reach the playoffs once.
He deserves credit for rebuilding their farm system and making it one of the best in baseball, but should Chicago truly be a franchise that misses out on postseason play for four seasons?
No.
It’s time for the Cubs to put some real pressure on Hoyer, especially after his latest setback.
This squad was anticipated to compete for the NL Central title, but instead is tied for last in the division, five games behind.500 out of 103 contests played.
That comes after he stated that he was constructing a contender.
Yes, ownership has done him no favours by capping salary before it reaches the luxury tax threshold, but that is hardly an excuse for poor roster construction.
Everyone in Chicago knew there was a problem with the team’s bullpen, especially after they missed the playoffs in 2023. He should have been much more aggressive in solidifying that unit with so many upgrades available.
Third base has been a nightmare, as many feared, with Christopher Morel demonstrating no ability to play the position consistently.
So, with the Cubs anticipated to start moving away some pieces at the impending deadline, it appears that they are still a few years away from actually competing for a championship.
Hoyer’s contract expires after 2025.
Given his track record, he should not be in charge of bringing this franchise back to prominence.
Leave a Reply