JUST IN: Cubs Bet $89 Million NPB All-Star, with Double Down Deadline
The Chicago Cubs have become one of the top 10 spenders this offseason, investing $89 million in veterans like Cody Bellinger and Hector Neris, along with two-time NPB All-Star Shota Imanaga. This expenditure indicates President of Baseball Operations Jed Hoyer’s strong intent to secure a playoff spot after narrowly missing a Wild Card berth last year.
With a payroll now at $224.9 million, up from $188.9 million last season, the Cubs rank eighth-highest in the majors. Despite currently being below .500, the significant financial commitment and the poor records of many other teams compel the front office to pursue an aggressive win-now approach as the July 30 trade deadline approaches.
Despite Record, The Cubs’ Playoff Hopes Remain Alive
Publicly, Hoyer has stressed that the team’s playoff hopes remain alive, despite their current fourth-place standing in the National League Central division.
“We are two games under .500. Certainly not where we thought we were going to be at the end of April and not where we thought we were going to be going into the season,” he said on local radio station 670 The Score this week. “But at the same time, you look around baseball and there’s a whole mass of teams right around that group. Almost all those teams went into the season with higher expectations as well.”
The Cubs are only half a game behind second place in the division and a Wild Card spot. Although Hoyer must emphasize the positives in local media interviews, it stands to reason that the team might be just a few deadline moves away from contention.
Of course, what Hoyer says now and what actually happens at the end of July could be very different. However, the Cubs are so well-positioned for the future, with an abundance of highly-ranked prospects, that leveraging some of that future talent for immediate gains seems almost necessary.
The Cubs boast one of the league’s top farm systems, recently ranked second overall by USA Today. With seven players in MLB’s top-100 rankings, they have the most top-tier prospects of any team. Eventually, this kind of depth can lose value if there isn’t enough room to showcase these prospects on the 40-man big-league roster.
The Cubs Have Some Clear Options At The Trade Deadline
All things considered, the Cubs might be in a position to package several younger players for a significant addition that bolsters the team this season and in 2025. With a $164 million payroll already committed for next season, the sixth-largest in the league, it’s likely that any trade deadline moves will also be with an eye toward the future.
Given the team’s biggest needs and the players likely to be available on the trade market, several names stand out as potential fits for the Cubs, especially those under team control through at least 2025. These include Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, Oakland A’s closer Mason Miller, and Colorado Rockies catcher Elias Díaz.
A losing record at this point might not have been what Hoyer and the Cubs anticipated after their significant offseason investments. However, considering the relatively weak projections for each member of the National League Central, they shouldn’t be surprised to find themselves still in contention.