Locked On Cubs - Daily Podcast On The Chicago Cubs

Jed Hoyer thinks Chicago Cubs are SOLID TEAM entering 2026

·28 min·2 clips

Jed Hoyer says the Cubs are a solid team but must find ways to add and improve for 2026.

Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' president of baseball operations, recently appeared on the Cubs Recap Podcast with David Kaplan and Gordon Wittenmyer. Hosts Matt Cozy and Sam Olber analyze Hoyer's comments on this episode of the daily Locked On Cubs podcast. Hoyer stated that on paper, the Cubs are "a solid team" but need to find different ways to add and improve. He implied the team's floor is around 87-88 wins with a ceiling of 94-95 wins, viewing them as a 90-92 win club. The front office prioritized leadership this offseason, heavily valuing Alex Bregman's off-field impact, which Hoyer compared to Dustin Pedroia's influence. Hoyer also compared Pete Crow-Armstrong's personality to that of former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz. A notable story revealed Scott Boras's agency finalized the Matthew Boyd deal around midnight after Hoyer was awake because his dogs ran away. Hoyer felt bad the Bregman agreement was finalized during a Chicago Bears game, though the Bears won. The hosts note the Cubs' offensive failure in Game 5 of the playoffs, scoring only one run, still resonates. Hoyer acknowledged going outside his comfort zone to sign five relievers to major league deals, emphasizing a volume approach over one major bullpen investment. He affirmed Nico Hoerner as the "gold standard" for his work ethic, effectively quashing trade rumors. The organization believes Matt Shaw could play the outfield "pretty easily" and is comfortable with Seiya Suzuki getting time in right field. Hoyer cited the incredible Wrigley Field environment and increased revenue as factors in this offseason's spending. He expressed uncertainty about the upcoming CBA negotiations and their potential impact on free agency. The hosts speculate on contract extensions for core players like Hoerner, Ian Happ, and Suzuki, suggesting clarity by Memorial Day. Hoyer described the front office's strategy as needing to remain "nimble" heading into an uncertain period for the league. The tone is conversational and analytical, blending fan enthusiasm with insider media commentary. This episode is ideal for Cubs fans seeking a detailed breakdown of front office strategy and offseason roster construction. Listeners looking for breaking news or game analysis might find the discussion too speculative.

As heard by us

A calm Cubs check-in built around Jed Hoyer's confidence and Red Sox parallels.

The piece stays with Jed Hoyer's confidence in the Cubs and uses his Red Sox past to explain how he thinks about building a roster. The best part is the link it draws between that background and the current group, with Nico Horner and Michael Bush standing in for the kind of…

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