Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts isn’t giving any public assurances about president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer’s future with the group after his contract expires.
“‘Lame duck’ will not be what I’d describe what Jed is doing proper now,” Ricketts mentioned final weekend in a dialog with the Solar-Occasions, drilling down on the wording of the query. “He’s working actually onerous. I feel he’s had a very good offseason. You noticed what occurred final 12 months: we acquired caught brief on pitching depth, if nothing else. We had too many accidents suddenly, and that put us on our heels a 3rd of the best way into the season. After which we had been simply brief an impression bat.”
That’s all nicely and good. However is an extension a chance earlier than the season?
“I haven’t made any selections alongside these traces,” Ricketts mentioned. “I feel it’s simply, let Jed do his job.”
Hoyer’s present contract runs via the 2025 season, including additional consideration to the trajectory of this group.
When Hoyer’s predecessor, Theo Epstein, departed after the 2020 season, he left the job of dismantling the final of the World Sequence championship squad to Hoyer. Then got here the problem of rebuilding. Although Hoyer was an integral a part of the final regime’s success, he has but to ship a playoff berth whereas in cost.
“It’s not going to alter any selections we make,” Hoyer mentioned final weekend of his contract standing. “That’s what folks at all times ask, ‘You’re within the final 12 months, are you guys going to do issues in a different way?’ It’s like, after all not. That’s not my job.
“That is in regards to the followers. That is about Chicago. That is in regards to the Cubs. This stuff are a lot larger than me. I’m not going to make selections that impression a metropolis or a fan base primarily based on my self curiosity.”
Hoyer has already made headway in addressing considerations from final season. Most notably, he traded for three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker so as to add the “impression bat” that Ricketts talked about. And whereas the Cubs have made a collection of strikes to handle pitching depth, they’re nonetheless centered on bolstering the bullpen.
“There’s no cause why we shouldn’t be favored to win our division and get again within the playoffs,” Ricketts mentioned.
In the meantime, the Brewers’ largest transfer of the offseason to this point, after successful the division by 10 video games final 12 months, has been buying and selling away their nearer. They despatched Devin Williams to the Yankees for lefty starter Nestor Cortes, infield prospect Caleb Durbin and money. To not point out, they mentioned goodbye to shortstop Willy Adames, who final month signed with the Giants for seven years and $182 million.
Standard knowledge sides with Ricketts; the Cubs needs to be favored. However after all, the Brewers’ earlier offseason didn’t scream “division favorites” both, as they traded away Corbin Burnes and misplaced Brandon Woodruff to harm, and so they outplayed expectations by leaps and bounds.
“They play good, they develop nicely, they do every little thing they must do to win,” Ricketts mentioned. “And so, they’re an incredible competitor. I feel this 12 months, we’re higher positioned than they’re, however we’ll simply must see the way it goes.”
The Nationwide League Central might additionally maintain extra surprises. It was actually bunched up sufficient at occasions final 12 months. A younger group just like the Reds, for instance, might make a run if the high-variance group skews nearer to its ceiling than its ground.
For the Cubs, a four-year playoff drought is on the road.
Do they should get again within the postseason for Hoyer to maintain his job?
“There’s no litmus take a look at or bright-line take a look at,” Ricketts mentioned. “It’s simply actually, Jed’s underneath contract, we’re going to maintain going that manner, and he’s doing an incredible job.”
