Led by All-Star starters Kyle Tucker and Pete Crow-Armstrong, the Cubs are in a great position to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2020. Their position player mix could use some tweaks, but the team's priority will be its battered rotation.
Jed Hoyer has had the top chair in the Cubs' baseball operations department since Theo Epstein stepped down in November 2020. Hoyer was the number two man in Epstein's front office before that, after he'd led the Padres' front office for two years. He's played a large part for "buy mode" contenders across many trade deadlines and has been unafraid to move prospects and good young players. Hoyer sent a strong "all-in" message in December by trading last year's first rounder Cam Smith along with three years of Isaac Paredes and five of Hayden Wesneski for one year of Kyle Tucker.
Hoyer is in the last year of a five-year contract with the Cubs, so it's a bit odd to have him making long-term decisions for the franchise with his own future in doubt. Back when Epstein stepped down, he said, "The organization faces many decisions this winter that carry long-term consequences; those types of decisions are best made by someone who will be here for a long period rather than for just one more year." Perhaps an extension for Hoyer is forthcoming. For now, I'm sure, his focus is on shoring up the first-place Cubs for a deep playoff run.
Record: 54-36 (94.6% playoff probability)
Buy Mode
Potential needs: Two starting pitchers, starting third baseman, lefty-mashing first baseman, general relief help
With Jameson Taillon on the IL into August due to a calf strain, the Cubs' rotation is down to two reliable established Major Leaguers: Shota Imanaga and Matthew Boyd. Expected ace Justin Steele is out for the season due to Tommy John surgery.
Taillon still figures to be part of the playoff picture for the Cubs. Colin Rea and Cade Horton are in the rotation at present, and Ben Brown made 14 starts before being optioned in late June. Veteran Chris Flexen made 30 starts last year. Jordan Wicks got the call four days ago but may be used in a long relief role. Javier Assad, who started 29 games last year, has been dealing with an oblique injury all season. It's not clear what the Cubs will get from him in 2025.
There are enough rotation options on hand to get through the regular season, but the goal is to win the World Series. Boyd, the Cubs' All-Star lefty, is 34 years old and hasn't shouldered a full workload since 2019. This team needs to add two starting pitchers, including at least one who can start a playoff game.
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Nothing too surprising here. My guess is that Hoyer won’t aim as high at the deadline as many suspect. I think he’ll concentrate mostly, perhaps exclusively, on relief pitching. The Cubs seem to think more in terms of “covering” innings than adding top starters, and Counsell seems to manage that way too.
IMO they need more hitting–they have some pretty likely regression candidates come August-September–but I don’t think Hoyer agrees with me.
I don’t think ONKC or any of the (somewhat dwindling) supply of top prospects are going anywhere.
The Cubs went just over the CBT level last season, apparently by mistake, and unfortunately I think their top priority is to avoid going over again, and thereby facing steeper penalties. Yes, as the article points out, at the moment they have some payroll space to spare, but that would get used up very quickly if they traded for top rentals by July 31.
I agree with most of this except I believe he will absolutely go after two starters. Aside from Taillon being out for the next month, Boyd and Horton are either at or close to the most innings they’ve ever pitched in a season. They’re gonna have to back off on both if they want them for the playoffs. And that can only happen with a couple more starters… Part of me almost wants them to let Shaw just play through it the way they let PCA do last season because he showed improvement at the plate. But they need a big RH bat so that’ll probly be addressed- as well as, hopefully, that anemic bench..
They already have a RH bat they could easily swap out for Turner that can do more things than he can in Jonathon Long. All they have to do is DFA Turner and bring him up. What they need is a LH bat that can play a few positions That they haven’t been able to find for the last 3 years. And no they really don’t have one in the system except Ballesteros who only plays 2. C( Badly) and 1B( lamely).. As for needing 2 starters I don’t think they need any, But they’ll never give them a chance because they think their heads will explode or something if they brought them up. I’m not saying I wouldn’t add a starter if one fell into my lap, But the only way to get one is to let yourself get fleeced. And Alan totally underestimates Hoyer when he says top prospects won’t go anywhere. He’s already proven what he’ll do to keep his job with regards to the future.
@uncle: I think you’ll get your wish when they bring up Birdsell in a few weeks. I think Brown will be back soon too. Wiggins seems to be hurt again.
I am guessing Hoyer will NOT do what you are afraid he will: overpay for a mediocre SP. But we’ll know soon enough.
@Uncle: Am I underestimating him, or overestimating him? I think you mean I am underestimating how stupid and reckless he can be with prospects. You are certainly right that there have been some ugly examples in the recent past.
I think they see Alcantara as the kind of player to include in a trade, and that might happen if they find interest in him. But the rest of the better Cubs prospects are probably safe.
Mike.. Ordinarily I’d agree but Long isn’t any more proven than Shaw is. Either are the pitchers in the system. And I don’t think Hoyer wants to risk them coming up and being Ben Brown 2.0 or not hitting any better than Shaw with the playoffs on the line. And I’m betting he wants one proven arm to go along with Shota and Boyd for postseason starts.
There’s only one way to find out about Pitchers. Let them pitch in the Major Leagues against Major League hitters. Will there be growing pains? To be sure. But that’s the difference between having a POBO who is thinking of the future, or one that’s only concerned with saving his job. All his moves for this year scream he’s just trying to save his job when the team needs a guy who is playing the long game. They have a perfect chance to give some guys a look in pressure situations. And they won’t. How EXACTLY does one PROVE he can hit MLB pitching in Iowa? LOL
@Uncle: I hope you are right that Hoyer is worried about his job. My take is even more pessimistic than yours: I think Ricketts has already decided to re-up him, and in fact the announcement could come soon. I think that if he makes bad trades–including trades of prospects–it will be because he’s stupid, not because he’s worried.
Do you think there is any chance of a surprise trade of *major-league* talent, e.g., Shaw or Amaya? That feels unlikely to me, but I have read such speculation. And I have sensed for a while that Hoyer has mixed feelings about Amaya. (Or maybe I’m projecting, because I have mixed feelings about him.)
I would rather he fired him but a least if he extended him he’d have to live with his decisions at this deadline. It might make him pause before he does anything dumber than he has already. I’m not a Mike Rizzo fan either but I asked myself who would I rather have making the decisions at this trade deadline for the Cubs? Rizzo or Hoyer? And I decided hands down Rizzo over a guy who always gets fleeced it seems. As far as rumors go and the amount of people who have a blog or a podcast will throw stupid trade ideas around. You’re likely as not to hear anything about everybody. Somebody who’s trying to make a name for himself and a tiny bit of credit for picking the big mover at the deadline. In the old days when you just had newspapers you could trust stuff like that a little more. Now…… Anybody can say anything. The Cubs have the worst possible situation you can have at the deadline. FO uncertainty.
If you can prove you belong at Iowa, Caissie is hitting .280 with 18 HR’s including 2 more tonight, And Long is hitting .315 with 55 RBI’s . Mission accomplished.
Shaw was red hot in Iowa as well, Mike.
That’s my point again. They have nothing left to prove. everything they needed to prove there has been proven. What’s left? What’s better? Bringing them up to be bench guys? Or letting them rot in AAA? You tell me.
Ballestroes his a line drive hitting DH that pretends to catch. I don’t see a future here
Triantos is a good toss in.
Caissie would be off limits as I don’t see Tom wanting to pay Tucker. Alcantara I can see traded as he is not the preferred profile that Jed likes. Neither is PCA but those tools are extremely loud that you just deal with it.
Pitching if Wiggins is hurt it is a hard sale. Birdsell has been out for the season and there is not enough of a track record. Few off the radar types that are not moving the needle
So it would be bat heavy sell
I would love to see O’Hoppe and Soriano from LAA. Send back Amaya and a few prospects.
2nd pitcher. I think Brown is having his curve held back. He was MIA for a few weeks and pitches 4 innings with 0 strike outs. That is not a thing with him. That tells me shut down the curve and forced to use a kick change that Tyler Zombro helped create and Taillon and Horton started using
I think they’re keeping Turner more as a clubhouse leader guy. And also he was PCA’s favorite player growing up. So he’s like a mentor to him.
I agree they should at least give Jonathon Long a chance.
Since you’ve been so anti-Jed and want him fired, who exactly are you bringing in to replace him that you think is exponentially better?
Uncle Mike, since you know so much, why don’t you tell us what Jonathan Long’s career MLB stat line is. It’s .000/.000/.000. But, yes, I trust you when you say how much better he is than Turner.
That post is in the running for the most non informative post ever put on this or any other site. Well done. It’s at least up with the people who just post “Troll” In a 17 chain link so nobody knows who you mean. I’ll get back to you if you win the award. Wow give a 12 year old a computer or worse a phone………..
My point is being “hot” in Iowa doesn’t necessarily translate to Chicago as Shaw has shown. If this was another out of contention year for them I’d say bring em all up. But with a playoff spot within reach, Hoyer’s not gonna risk that with unproven guys.
But he should. The Brewers have brought up prospects and made a couple of trades and uh oh- Look behind you Jed! You’re getting out maneuvered once again by a team with half your payroll that knows when to play the best players they have. No matter where they are. Sorry but your kids have no experience is and has been ridiculous for years. What the Cubs need right now is energy. The bench they have stinks. And it has stunk since the first pitch was tossed in Japan. The Brewers are giving their young guys playoff run experience and gaining! Explain that if you can.
Mascot like. So make him a coach
I agree that the bench stinks.
@Uncle: “What the Cubs need right now is energy.” Exactly right. And one of the problems is that Hoyer seems to actively disbelieve in energy. He believes instead, to a fault, in “consistency,” “trusting the process,” “staying within yourself,” “taking the long view,” “not getting too high or too low,” and all that other stuff. He genuinely seems to dislike players who have a little oomph, a little swag–after all, there’s no metric for that. But it’s what the Cubs, as a unit, are missing. And, in a real way, it’s what he is missing as an executive. He is not aggressive when he ought to be.
The Cubs said that they are just managing Wiggins’ innings, and that he has been throwing all along. But he’s not going to pitch in a minor league game until July 19.
I interpret that as either a) they are planning on moving him to Iowa soon and want him ready for a few late September innings in Chicago, and/or b) they are getting a lot of offers for him and they don’t want him getting hurt before the trade deadline.
Or they are hiding an injury. I tend to be skeptical about such reports, in exactly the way the credulous Brett Taylor tends to swallow them whole.
Wiggins is still listed as Active in the Knoxville roster What does that mean? No clue right now. It would be so Cub to do something like that. On the one hand the Cubs kind of have fewer pitching injuries than most teams. They’re not exempt though and finding out anything about Minor League injuries is next to impossible. Seems like a lot of injuries happen to Cub pitchers as soon as they’re traded. The Cubs keep their pitchers on strict pitch counts. Is that good or bad? I think a lot of Horton grooving 0-2 pitches stems directly from that as they’re used to thinking hey I’ve only got 10 pitches left and I need 3 outs to get a win. So I wouldn’t put a whole lot into Wiggins absence just yet. They usually don’t take the kid gloves off until AAA. Wiggins was already dominating AA so a trip to AAA could happen soon. He was just pulled from the Futures Game too.
Wiggins is probably on the Developmental List. It’s basically a “work out with the team and can’t play” list where he doesn’t take an active roster spot. Iowa has been shuttling pitchers and their #3 catcher on and off of that list all season.
If he was on it, It would say so. They are pretty good at updating that. Another stupid move by Hoyer who just HAD to add Hodge when he was already getting pounded on his rehab innings and now they lost Fulmer for absolutely no reason. He just keeps making bad strange moves and still has a job. SMH
I dunno…Long is hitting .239/.337/.398 against lefties in Triple-A this year.
Tim, stop letting facts get in the way.
I mean, look at Matt Mervis. Well ok, not him. How about Brian LaHair? He was an All-Star. Ok… Well how about Micah Hoffpauir and Julio Zuleta. Remember Free Julio Zuleta??
Free Jonny Long!! Free Jonny Long!!!!
Preferably to the Rays as part of a Pete Fairbanks trade.
100%%%%% he’s playing for his job. All the more reason he cant afford to let young pitchers get their feet wet. Not sure he’ll swing for the fences, but definitely has to do something, especially with the SP. One or two more RP as well. BP will get wore out quick with all the innings they’re throwing.
Strong reply. Short rope on a play off year
Mmm. Ya you don’t burn a blue chip
Boyd top IP were 2018/170IP and 2019/185IP with the Tigers
Cubs have made the right moves this year. They traded for Tucker as a rental but did not gut the farm. Seiya is only signed through 2026, so I like keeping Caissie, Alcantara and Ballesteros to give you an OF and a DH, assuming one out of three goes bust and to early to guess which one.
They can trade lesser prospects to get a solid inning eater starter, maybe Andrew Heaney, and a couple of bullpen arms, I like Dennis Santana and Anthony Bender although the A’s Mason is enticing I think the cost would be too high.
I just hated trading Ferris and Hope for Busch when FA veteran 1B are so cheap, but I have to give this one to the Jed-eye as Busch has ascended to a higher level. Overall, I give Hoyer a C- grade – he is neither as good nor as bad as many say – and I am fine with Ricketts letting Hoyer go, as I think a re-set is best unless the Cubs win the 2025 WS.
Ok, If I decide to concede your points, If you think that trading for Tucker didn’t gut the farm you’re wrong because Smith was worth more than Tucker but if I give you that one then explain to me how trading for a guy who’s asking price you knew was going to be at LEAST 300 million and your owner wants to be a TAX team, How does that make sense? The obvious move to be a Tax team is keep a guy who can play for ten years and at least 5 relatively cheaply. I don’t know about you but that smacks of Hoyer giving Ricketts the middle finger no? And why trade BOTH 3B? Now you have everybody crying we need to trade for one, Another WASTE of resources to cover a mistake. Tuckers stock keeps rising by the minute. They were talking 300 million when they got him, Now it’s more like 500 million. How exactly does that make Ricketts happy? The park is no more full than it would have been. So how to get rid of Happ? You have to tell him in the off season either waive the NMC because we’re going with the kids or just pay him to leave and cut him for no return. How’s that help? Suzuki is finally a star. Happ is the obvious one to go. Hoyer CONSTANTLY paints himself into corners ALL THE TIME. I feel like I’m watching Curly of the Three Stooges. All that’s missing is the paintbrush. I just don’t see the status quo as being sustainable but they keep trudging on spinning their wheels EVERY YEAR. When’s it end and how? I just don’t see it being good. Sorry. But I respect what you say.
I have a hunch that they ARE going to sign Tucker in the off-season–and, though he will be a good (but not great) player for a long time, his contract will age badly. He is so much Hoyer’s type of player that Hoyer won’t be able to resist signing him.
I think they are planning to stay below the CBT number this season in anticipation of signing Tucker.
As much as the media and some fans have fed the hype machine that this is the year to “go deep into October,” I think the Cubs FO is targeting next season, doesn’t really believe in this one.
Cam Smith has been great. So has Paredes.
When the Cubs don’t win the WS and Tucker signs a crazy contract with another team this trade is going to look really bad.
Already does Roob.
This ignores that Paredes sucked for Cubs. He was a smart salary dump if they did not have the staff to fix him. For the Cubs, Paredes was Morel 2.0. So evaluate Tucker as for Cam and Morel and it gets closer. And I have not counted Shaw out yet.
Paredes’ poor performance with the Cubs is a bit of a head-scratcher. It can’t be just that he was depressed by the deep foul lines at Wrigley Field. His whole affect was unhappy, like he didn’t want to be there, didn’t want to be part of the Cubs. Some players just don’t belong on some teams.
Alan
Paredes was slumping when he left the Rays as well.
Either Paredes was injured or more likely the Asterisks fixed something that the Rays and Cubs could not figure out.
Rather than dwelling on the past, the Cubs are boldly charging toward the post-season. Cubs have plenty of prospects left and I don’t count Shaw out.
@Commenter: I hope you prove to be right. But if the Cubs finally don’t make the post-season, as I believe they won’t, I hope you will think about where you were wrong, what you didn’t see. You’re obviously smart and know baseball.
Not the way they’re going about now.
I do think that part of trading for Paredes was that Tampa wouldn’t trade him to a team in Houston also competing for a playoff spot. So they were willing to take less from the Cubs. It really could be that the Cubs had been targeting Tucker since the middle of last year. I mean even if you think Jed is an idiot, there must be another intelligent guy in the organization besides Kantrovitz.
Speaking of Kantrovitz, I won’t be surprised at all if he applies for and gets the Nationals GM job.
Alan
Even if the Cubs make the post-season, a very strong argument can be made to replace Hoyer.
The Cubs have the best run differential in baseball and by an even wider margin when just among NL teams So yes, I expect them to make the post-season barring multiple injuries to top team players. No guarantees in baseball though.
Run differentials are not predictive of success. If anything, teams that have mediocre run diffs but better records than that would lead you to expect are the ones destined for the post-season, because they are the ones that win the close games. Also, this heinous practice of having position players pitch in blow-outs inflates some teams’ run diffs, and no one keeps track of that. Also, we can’t talk the Cubs into the post-season. Wish we could, but we can’t.
I still think the Cubs will make the post-season this year, but I do agree with you that having position players pitch is a bad thing. I would rather have an extra designated pitcher or two who can only pitch under the same parameters under which a position player is allowed.
Speculate all you want about it but one thing is true- They are not in contention right now without Tucker.
Yeah how can you prove that? How do you know what this all looks like with Parades, Smith and Caissie playing here instead? I know one thing, The bench would look a WHOLE lot better without Turner and Tucker. And with Long, Caisse Smith and Parades. And Shaw in reserve. I’d bet you’re wrong and they’re actually better.
The argument is they should have worse regulars as a whole so they could have had a better bench?
I could make a case that Suzuki playing RF all year is comparable to Tuckers stats. So Suzuki, PCA and Happ are the same, Smith at 3B, Shaw as an all around utility guy. Money saved on Berti and Turner. Caissie as DH, I could probably make that case in court.
Alan,you hit it out of park!
Somehow Hoyer both trades unwisely and is insufficiently reactive at the same time. Look what the Brewers did early in the season, when they found themselves short of starting pitching: They went out and got starting pitching, within a few days, and without giving up much. Then when they had an excess of starting pitching, they traded Civale to the White Sox for Vaughn, who has improved their bench at no cost. The Cubs are thin on starting pitching and have a lousy bench, and Hoyer has done nothing.
I think part of the issue with Hoyer is that he is too process-oriented: He has not improved the Cubs in-season because, according to his perception of how things are done, May and June *aren’t the time* to make trades; the time to make trades is July 30 and 31. He is hamstrung by his preconceptions about his job and how to do it. He is inflexible. He is do-nothing most of the time, and do-the-wrong-thing at specific, predictable moments.
If the Brewers leave the Cubs in the dust for the third season in a row, and they do seem more balanced and built-to-win, it will be Hoyer’s fault again. He really has to go, and maybe he will. I think there will be a halo effect, at least, if a different kind of POBO takes over–with regard to both external additions and internal promotions.
A lot of truth there until u went on that silly brewers rant about them being more balanced. Please, the lineup is weak and pen is heckyl jeckyl
Lost all the credibility you built in first 2 paragraphs
@MrShow: That’s what they said about the ’69 Mets until they caught and passed the Cubs and finished 8 games ahead of the Cubs. I was there.
And that is what you’d call an outlier.
@Manfred: The Brewers’ sweep of the Dodgers this week–with Andrew Vaughn getting the key hits in all three games–tells us all we need to know about who is going to win the division. The Cubs will battle for the last wild card spot, but probably won’t get it. Too many holes, weaknesses, and a certain entropy, a lack of momentum and energy. And it is a reflection on us as fans that we think someone like, for instance, Ian Happ is a winning ballplayer.
By the way, what do you mean by “heckyl jeckyl”? Those were two cartoon crows on kids TV years ago. You might have meant something like “Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde,” the horror novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, and had a brain cramp. Also, the Brewers, unfortunately, have a very good bullpen.
Well that’s been my point all along. The POBO doesn’t fit the Template. Ricketts has made it clear what the plan was supposed to be. You can, 1. Spend up to the Luxury Tax every year and 2. You must develop a Farm system to draw from. The current POBO has no idea how to accomplish that. He made a bunch of FA signings that weren’t needed. He has signed a bunch of International people who are exactly the same which is a waste of more money IMO. They have a bunch of nice pitching which is amazing considering how they operate. Pitching is the most valuable commodity in the game today. They should be drafting 10 a year. And not just anywhere at the beginning of the draft. The philosophy of you can draft a SS and play them anywhere has kind of been proven wrong by them consistently. SCRAP IT! All the C’s they have in the minors can either Catch, Or hit, None really can do both. Might not hurt to draft one huh? It’s amazing to me all the money Hoyer wastes on FA signings that while they look small enough end up being deadline anchors when you need somebody. Turner is another waste of 5 million bucks, Seems like nothing but really isn’t. How can you fail to find a LH bench player for 4 years in a row? How is that possible? Mancini, Barnhart? As many relievers that he’s found, Count up the ones he’s lost! That’s a pretty impressive list. Guys who would have options too. The POBO’s ideas for the team don’t align with the owners. How is he still here? Ricketts has dug this hole, Only he can wise up and fix it. Hoyer wants to be the Dodgers and Ricketts wants to be the Rays. Not working fellas.
I see trading for a proven starter is going to cost the Cubs. With starting pitching being sought by almost every playoff looking team the price is going to go up a lot the closer the deadline gets. Example being a D’Backs fan I’m hearing that Kelly and Gallen are going for maybe Shaw, Caissie and a lower level prospect. I believe Suarez is going to either Seattle or Detroit. Az is going to need a 3rd baseman.
Jordan Lawlor
A couple of months ago the Athletic did a piece where they asked MLB front office people which front office, besides their own, they most admired. The Dodgers were far and away ranked most admired. They were followed by Tampa, Milwaukee, and Cleveland. The Cubs front office received no votes, not one.(The Cardinals didn’t get any either.) The Reds front office was considered more admirable than the Cubs.
For me, that article was very telling. Every MLB POBO or GM acts like he’s the smartest guy in any room. Hoyer fits that description. He has spent his career working in front offices that were on the cutting edge of the sport. He seems to think that makes him a little smarter than everyone else. His peers don’t agree. The Cubs could do better.
So much is down to money and timing.
Of course the Dodgers have a successful FO. And you do this 5 years ago the Cards are top 3 with the same people that nobody rates now.
Opinions – meh.
In my humble opinion the Cubs should zero in on starting pitching. You need a #2 and a #3 to mix in with the guys you already have. I’m thinking Galen and Kelly or Galen and Cabrera. Galen and Keller (if Pirates will trade within the division.) Your offense is loaded as is and the envy of every other club. Shaw is fine at 3B. You guys got this, just secure the pitching.
I will never understand “trade within your division”. Just trade to improve your team.
I honestly believe ppl see prospects as can’t miss just because they’re highly ranked. It doesn’t guarantee anything, anyone remember B. Davis, J. Vitters, B Jackson, etc. I’ve never been a fan of Hoyer but I absolutely loved the Tucker trade. He’s the exact type of player the Cubs have sorely lacked for years. Someone above called Seiya a star, but his .300 obp doesn’t scream star, and his stats are padded because of tucker. Also, cam smith is off to a decent start but it doesn’t mean it’ll continue. Also, the stadium these players play at matter, do you think Paredes would have the same numbers with his extreme pull swing trading a park with the close Crawford boxes for a park with the furthest foul pole homer in mlb? Guarenteed he would not. I remember when the cardinals traded for Scott Rolen during his free agent year and he absolutely fell in love with them. Sometimes it’s worth the risk. Maybe in 5 years Cam smith is 3x all star and Kyle Tucker is a Yankee, maybe Cam smith is a backup and Kyle tucker has started multiple all star games in a cub uni, who knows. Ricketts is ridiculously cheap, and in my opinion we should point the finger at him more than Hoyer, but occasionally I think he’s gonna have to appease the fans, and I honestly believe this will be one of those situations. Cubs have 1 player on a guaranteed contract beyond 2026, they can afford a 12 yr, 440 mil contract for Tucker. That’s just my guess at what he’ll get. Don’t believe he’ll hit 500 mil. I still slightly lean Tucker will leave in free agency but even with that I still wouldn’t undo that trade. I’m also tired of hoarding prospects and then finishing .500, cubs wanna go for it, then let’s push the chips in and send the Dbacks a few guys for Suarez and Kelly/Gallen and really try for a WS. I honestly don’t really believe in many of our top prospects anyway besides caisse and Ballesteros but Ballesteros is so limited defensively that I could live with trading him too. Long winded, sorry….
Jack.R.- I’m tired of hoarding them too. I’ve been in favor of PLAYING THEM. But they’re blocked by people Hoyer gave NMC’s to. Five years I’ve wanted to play them.
Saw a rumour that Kyle Hendricks is on Hoyer’s radar
Saw that too. I will always have love for Kyle Hendricks but that’s a firable offense if he tries to trade for Hendricks
It’s almost like signing Trey Mancini.
Check out Trey’s offensive numbers.
The declines over a 5 year period say he was done before Hoyer signed him.
If it wasn’t impossible because the Cards and Cubs won’t do it, Maton from the Cards is the prefect pickup for the Cubs.
Has been outstanding this year and salary is 2m. But the Cards are still fooling themselves they are in contention (small chance of a wildcard before immediate elimination) and the 2 clubs won’t help each other.
You could do better than Maton which is why he got a whopping $2 million deal.
Have a look at his numbers.
And if the Cubs are trying to avoid luxury tax threshold (ref the article), they arent in the market for a high ticket price.
Hoyer had a deal in place for a Marlin top starter but blew it up post medical screening. Owen Cassie was rumored to be the centerpiece of a package of players the Marlins wanted from the Cubs. Sandy Alcantara is as good as a Cub today – Hoyer is just trying to get the price down with all this Pirates Keller nonsense. KC’s Seth Lugo is undoubtably the second SP the Cubs would like to add. As to 3B, Jonathan India is more of a realistic target since AZ is going to hang onto any flickering playoff hope long past the trading deadline. But there is a outside chance at DBacks 3B Eugenio Suarez
Sandy Alcantara right now is expensive and bad for contenders down the stretch. Doubt that is the game any FO is playing to upgrade its rotation unless it’s for scraps. Even though just a rental, Lugo will get bid up nice with the high demand.
And Jonathan India at 3b is not happening anywhere.
Marquez, Civale and Houser are all free agents at the end of the season. I would think you’d be able to get one if not two of these for one #15-#30 type prospect and another one rated 30-50.
Geno and a starter from Arizona would be great.
Cubs go “all in” and overpay for Alcantara and his 7 ERA….
meanwhile the Brewers sell a couple of their 10+ above average starters (Peralta, Woodruff, Misiorowski, Priester, Quintana, Cortes, Myers, Patrick, Henderson, Gasser, Ashby) in a sellers market, add to an already top 3 farm system, while saving payroll, and cruise to another division win.
Strange things happen to the Cubs sometimes. Andrew Vaughn got the key hits in all 3 Brewers wins over the Dodgers this week.
It was like that in’69, btw. Light-hitting ex-White Sox infielder Al Weis hit key home runs for the Mets. That in itself should have told us it was their year.
If the Brewers had not traded for Andrew Vaughn in June, they probably would have lost all three games to the Dodgers this week, instead of winning all three. They are going to win the division because they won those games. That is the difference between a good POBO and Hoyer, who has mysteriously saddled the Cubs with the worst bench in years for 90 games now. If he can’t get organized enough to make an external addition, he has better options at AAA. It is inexplicable; it is like he is giving the Cubs handicaps just to see how Counsell handles it.
Cue to Brett Taylor: It’s time to write another non-article about how “annoying” the Brewers are. You are the one who is annoying, Brett, with your third-rate mind and fourth-rate writing style.
Memo to Cubs: Show up for tonight’s game in Minneapolis, OK? Your division lead, which you have held too easily for too long, is disappearing.
Do cubs fan still want hoyer back even if brewers finish ahead of cubs after losing Adames and Williams and not replacing them? Brewers only 2 games behind.
Some fans will–either because they are inveterate brown-nosers, or because they don’t pay close enough attention.
Some absolutely won’t even if the Cubs finish above the Brewers because they have already decided that they want him to go
I already don’t want him back.
The Cubs look tight at the plate, Wednesday night.
It’s funny how quickly these things can happen. I think the Brewers’ sweeping the Dodgers has the Cubs psyched out. But the Cubs’ fluky offense was always going to regress.
The Cubs will fall into second place in a couple of days, and maybe it’s just as well. Then they can concentrate on a (possibly) achievable goal–one of the last two wild card spots. And another benefit: those of you who have been telling me that the Cubs are better–much better, you insist–than the Brewers, might shut up.
Will the cubs still be in 1st at the all-star break and would the brewers trade the cubs Misorowski for the cubs 2 prizes Horton and Shaw? Definitely not!
Tonight vs the Yankees no surprise and tomorrow more of the same- not much hitting against good pitching 1 and 2.
Not even competitive tonight! Go belli ball !
5 hits by vaunted cubs offense. Just as bad tomorrow against fried if not worst. Tied for 1st after tomorrow.
Where is Cody patter pateet?
Does it really matter at this time.. obviously cubs need ace and they’re hardly available unless hoyer willing to pay steep steep price which he is unwilling or incapable of doing.
Hey Jed, Eloy is available and am sure he’ll come cheap! Another reclamation project!