Latest Jed Hoyer report should be enough evidence for Cubs to finally fire him
By Mark Powell
Let me stop you in your tracks -- no, the Chicago Cubs aren't going to fire Jed Hoyer. The Cubs president of baseball operations has established a clear direction, and even if it may be an unpopular one among some of the fanbase, it's better than most teams.
The Cubs finally spent some money last offseason and it shows, as the on-field product is only five games behind the Braves and Mets for the final NL Wild Card spot. That may not sound like much, but keep in mind that Chicago were trade deadline sellers. Now, they're back over .500 and second place in the NL Central.
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Jed Hoyer and Cubs have friction in the front office
The Cubs gave Craig Counsell record money to recruit him from the rival Brewers. They signed Shota Imanaga, brought back Cody Bellinger and more. Chicago's core is, at the very least, acceptable. Hoyer and Carter Hawkins deserve some credit for that assuming they continue to add the right pieces. Yet, it's still not enough for some Cubs executives, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
"There is internal friction in the Chicago Cubs’ front office, high-ranking officials say, but despite their disappointing season, Jed Hoyer, president of baseball operations, will return in 2025," Nightengale wrote.
Jed Hoyer isn't on the hot seat yet, but he should be
Hoyer isn't on the hot seat, but he's close. The Cubs are one of the top baseball markets in America. Fans deserve a real contender that can compete for a pennant most seasons. Chicago hasn't been in that position since the mid-to-late-2010's. Reminder: it's 2024.
The Cubs last playoff appearance was in 2020. Hoyer's contract runs through the end of the 2025 season, and much like his counterpart on the rival St. Louis Cardinals -- John Mozeliak -- Hoyer may not be back in the same position thereafter.
Hoyer has done a good job building up the Cubs farm system during his time in charge, but he also parted ways with almost all of the 2016 World Series core only to fail to build another contender in the process. Eventually, those moves have to pay off, and thus far progress has been slow.