Jed Hoyer just got the ultimate validation in Cubs’ Wild Card run

Jed Hoyer has been lambasted, berated, and chastised by Chicago Cubs fans over the past half-decade, but boy oh boy, did he get some validation in the team's Wild Card series win over the San Diego Padres.

Sure, it had to be nice to see the team finally eclipse 85 wins for the first time since he took over for Theo Epstein, and it sure didn't hurt that they finally made the postseason after a five-year drought. Winning the franchise's first playoff games since 2017 was also surely a sigh of relief moment.

But, truth be told, the real vindication Hoyer received wasn't in the winning itself, but rather how the team won.

As the team celebrated the victory on the field, Hoyer was asked how the Cubs outlasted the Padres in such a tight series. The President of Baseball Operations made his feelings clear: the team's defense won the day.

Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner carry Cubs to NLDS with brilliant defensive play

The entire Cubs depth chart is lined with elite defenders—seriously, it's a list of veritable Gold Glovers and Statcast darlings.

From Pete Crow-Armstrong in center field to sure-handed rookie Matt Shaw at the hot corner, even the players who haven't been awarded with defensive MVP awards have proven their worth on that side of the ball this year.

But, as Hoyer has long preached, it was the team's up-the-middle defense that saved the day. Dansby Swanson (a two-time Gold Glover) and Nico Hoerner (a soon-to-be two-time Gold Glover) were utterly tremendous in the field all series, and they locked down when it mattered most in Game 3.

Swanson tormented Luis Arraez in particular, making three impressive plays in three consecutive at-bats for the reigning NL batting champion.

The whole series was a defensive display from the Cubs' dynamic tandem, as Swanson saved multiple runs in Game 1 with a diving stop and over-the-shoulder catch, and Hoerner made a few leaping plays of his own.

This is exactly what the plan has been with these two since the moment Swanson inked his seven-year blockbuster contract. The 2016 Cubs had a similar dynamic duo up the middle -- Addison Russell and Javier Báez -- and once again, a strong defense is a calling card of this organization.

Of course, Hoyer's fingerprints are all over this team. Michael Busch (acquired via trade), Jameson Taillon (free agency), and the various bargain bin relievers that are now key figures in the bullpen are major factors as to why the Cubs are moving on to face the Brewers in the NLDS.

But if you want to know where Hoyer's pride in this roster lies, look no further than Nos. 7 and 2.

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