Chicago Cubs Rumors: Jed Hoyer open to the idea of trades early in 2024 season

The Chicago Cubs have pushed a considerable amount of chips into the proverbial pot for the 2024 season.

They have the most expensive manager in the game after signing Craig Counsell to a historic contract and they have inched as close as their owner feels comfortable towards the competitive balance tax.

Thanks to those factors along with the fact that President of Baseball Operations, Jed Hoyer, is likely on a relatively hot seat due to lack of recent on-field success, the Cubs could find themselves as early buyers this year.

Patrick Mooney of The Athletic had a quote from Hoyer (subscription required) earlier this week referring to the potential for trade by saying, “I don’t think you ever stop thinking about that. Because that’s the job. You’re always kind of looking.”

There are trade targets potentially available on teams such as the Miami Marlins, who after a slow start, are likely sellers at the July Trade Deadline.

The Chicago Cubs should not wait to be active on the trade market.

Before the Marlins series, we said that the Cubs couldn’t let chances to beat bad teams pass them by, and then they proceeded to split a four-game series with arguably the worst team in baseball. 

Regardless of the direction this goes, it’s a positive thing that the front office doesn’t appear to be complacent with the construction of this roster. 

We all love Kyle Hendricks, and Adbert Alzolay’s 2023 season really was quite spectacular, but neither of them is good enough right now to help this team win. 

Through his unwillingness to keep players like Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and Kyle Schwarber around long-term, Jed Hoyer has shown that he will not allow nostalgia to guide his decisions on the roster. 

Let’s hope he is willing to find solutions to Alzolay’s and Hendricks’ struggles sooner rather than later.