2023 season shouldn't be a benchmark for the 2024 Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs are showing signs of life as they did in 2023 prior to the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline, and that has had many fans hoping that the 2024 team has a similar run in their future where they climb back into the post-season discussion.

After the Cubs defeated the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, the team is beginning to stack victories as they have won 5 of their last 6 games. Amidst the emerging rumors that the Cubs could be planning to trade Cody Bellinger at the deadline, this has many fans urging the front office to be patient and allow for the team to go on a run as they did last season.

That is an extremely flawed idea.

For as exciting as the turnaround was for the Cubs in 2023, where they entered September with over a 90% chance to make the post-season, what is casually being forgotten by Cubs' fans who want to make the comparison to last season is the fact that the Cubs missed the post-season by one game.

The 2023 season can't be the blueprint for the Cubs at the 2024 MLB Trade Deadline.

The Cubs, to their credit, have begun to make up ground in the National League Central, now within 10 games of the Milwaukee Brewers. Even in the wild card race, the Cubs are 3.5 games out of the final spot but have 7 teams ahead of them--assuming they won't be able to catch the Atlanta Braves for the first Wild Card spot.

In relation to the deadline, Jed Hoyer and the Cubs' front office shouldn't drastically alter their approach as they did last season due to the team getting hot during the weeks prior. If anything, this is a case for the Cubs to stand pat above anything else but if that isn't an option, then the team should look ahead to 2025 and see if they can make their impact addition for that season at the deadline