Cubs get accountability from Jed Hoyer for bullpen failures but few answers on solution

It was no secret that the Chicago Cubs' bullpen left a lot to be desired this past season, and it figures to be a point of emphasis this offseason. Jed Hoyer met with reporters on Friday, as has become the norm when the Cubs' season concludes, and there's almost never anything too revealing shared. In case of the bullpen, Hoyer took accountability.

Talking about the additions the Cubs made to the bullpen, Hoyer pointed to the reality that success from their respective 2025 seasons wasn't repeated. Hoyer took the blame, and well, it's essentially saying the quiet part out loud.

Jed Hoyer accepts blame for Cubs bullpen disaster but leaves biggest question unanswered

Hoyer having an awareness that his decisions were the problem for the Cubs' bullpen last season is the equivalent of checking a box. The end-of-season press conference offers very little substance in term of that changes that will be made to Hoyer's ideologies when it comes to spending, and for the most part, on Friday, he found different ways to say that the Cubs' pitching was bad.

To the bullpen directly, the Cubs spent nearly $30 million turning over the unit last winter. His biggest deals were a two-year pact with Phil Maton worth $14.5 million, and one-year deal with Hunter Harvey worth $6 million.

In the case of Maton, strictly looking at his 2025 numbers, it was easy to see why the Cubs were eager to sign him once the offseason started. He posted 2.79 ERA across 63 appearances, striking out over 32% of the hitters he faced. Based on those numbers, you would think the Cubs made an enormous value play for the 33-year-old.

The issue is that Maton's success is directly tied to his ability to spin the ball. If he's not generating spin-rate at an elite level, he's ineffective. That was the case this year, and speaks to his 6.18 ERA in 31 appearances with the Cubs this season. There's also the lingering knee injury, which he recently had surgery, that dates back to the end of his run with the Texas Rangers in 2025.

Injuries have defined Harvey's career, and it never made sense for the Cubs to go to the financial extent they did in signing him. Harvey ultimately made four appearances with the Cubs before being shut down for the year.

Those mistakes are something that Hoyer must keep in mind this offseason. In the case of Maton, why was he so eager to sign as early as he did. In the case of Harvey, that was a signing that should have never been made.

Hoyer was never going to relay the exact plan for the Cubs this offseason, and along those lines, the easiest way to sum this up is by saying what he needs to do, spend money on velocity and swing-and-miss.

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