3 colossal questions facing the Chicago Cubs as the offseason begins

2. Can Jed Hoyer overcome a landlocked roster and find a way to finally add the impact bat the Cubs have needed for years?

Without a clear position to explore an upgrade outside of catcher, Hoyer is going to have to put on a masterclass in front office wizardry to satiate a fanbase begging for legitimate star power.

I say that, with one caveat: if Cody Bellinger opts out and tests free agency, it becomes a lot easier to slot in someone like Anthony Santander and his 40+ homer power into the lineup next year. But if Bellinger returns, which many believe will be the case, it's a tall task facing the front office.

Seiya Suzuki, Dansby Swanson and Ian Happ all hold no-trade protection. It's unlikely the Cubs move on from trade deadline acquisition Isaac Paredes after just a couple of months and Michael Busch answered every challenge thrown his way in his rookie season. Pete Crow-Armstrong came on strong late, locking down the center field job for years to come in the process.

That leaves Nico Hoerner as potential trade bait - and it's easy to make a strong case against the Cubs moving on from the Gold Glove second baseman. With Seiya Suzuki shifted into full-time DH duties to tremendous results, another roadblock surfaced. Regardless of all this, Chicago needs to add some offensive firepower - and it's on Hoyer to figure out how to do so.