The Tom Ricketts comments no Chicago Cubs fan is talking about but needs to know

Chicago Cubs chairman Tom Rickett had fans rolling their eyes over the weekend due to his comments over the weekend regarding the Cubs' payroll structure.

In particular, Ricketts addressed where the Cubs stand in comparison to teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees.

"I understand when fans say, ‘How come you don’t spend like that?’ Because they think somehow we have all these dollars that the Dodgers have or the Mets have or the Yankees have and we just keep it. Which isn’t true at all. What happens is we try to break even every year, and that’s about it," Ricketts explained.

There was outrage at these comments. In a general sense, it makes sense why fans of the Cubs, a team in the third-largest market in Major League Baseball, would be upset that their chairman's goal with payroll is to break even each season. But, if you are a fan of the Cubs, then you should know that Ricketts' comments aren't anything grand reveal and he has been willing to say as much in the past. As long as Ricketts is the Cubs' chairman, the status quo will be the status quo.

But moving beyond the comments Ricketts made about where the Cubs are in comparison to the Dodgers' spending, there is attention that needs to be paid to the idea that Major League Baseball is likely heading toward a work stoppage after the 2026 season. One that will likely see MLB owners change the way in which money is being spent on free agents.

In preparations, some teams are trying to have as little payroll obligation as possible following the 2026 season. As of this writing, the Cubs have less than $50MM in payroll commitments for the 2027 season. Given that fact, it would be fair to suggest the Cubs are using the potential work stoppage as the primary reason why they are avoiding long-term deals.

Ricketts addressed that notion in an interview with The Athletic during the Cubs Convention.

Tom Ricketts will be at the center of the Cubs' effort to bring back Kyle Tucker

“It could be an element, but it really is not about what’s going to come out of the next CBA as much as what kind of value you’re going to get from the player,” Ricketts said. “I have no idea what the next CBA is going to bring for us. But talent will still cost money. So if you have a good value on talent, just buy it.”

Ricketts' stance will be put to a test next offseason, when the Cubs presumably will need to extend to lengths they've never gone before in trying to ensure Kyle Tucker continues to call Wrigley Field his home.