With MLB Trade Deadline declaration, Jed Hoyer places pressure on Cubs' offseason

The Chicago Cubs have had the scent of being a seller ahead of the Major League Baseball Trade Deadline for much of the past two months and even with their hot stretch of games prior to the All-Star break, there was the underlying sense that the team had already buried themselves with their poor play during the months of May and June.

Jed Hoyer met with reporters prior to the Cubs' victory over the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday and confirmed that there likely isn't a path where the team is exclusively buyers at the deadline next week.

"Where we are right now, I would have to say that moves only for 2024 -- unless things change over the next week -- we probably won't do a lot of moves that only help us for this year," Hoyer said. "If moves help us for 2025 and beyond I think we're exceptionally well positioned."

Many have taken Hoyer's comments as the Cubs' front office waving the white flag on the 2024 season. That is not what was said as Hoyer made the realization that every logical fan has had, this Cubs' team is not in a position to be a legitimate threat to win the World Series this season.

There is no rental addition that could change that outlook for the Cubs this season. The reason for what is partially due to roster construction which certainly is on Hoyer but it's also tied to a progression from Christopher Morel that never arrived, Cody Bellinger's power disappearing, and Dansby Swanson being among the worst qualified hitters for most of the season.

With the decision to shift the focus to actually contending in 2025 and potentially standing pat at the deadline, Hoyer is placing pressure on himself to actually have an offseason where there are significant changes to the roster. For all the talk there was about the Cubs being a good team in 2023, they only won 83 games and fell one game short of making the postseason. Despite that fact, Hoyer thought it appropriate to bring back mostly the same roster. If Hoyer has that same mindset this offseason, entering the final season of his contract with the Cubs, he undoubtedly will be unemployed after the 2025 season.