Hoyer doubles down on 'intelligent' spending plan originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Jed Hoyer doubled down on his assertion he’s trying to build a team that can make the postseason in 2022 despite blowing up the Cubs core in July and having indicated in recent months they won’t be in the market for big-ticket free agents this winter.
“Our goal certainly is to be competitive next year to try to do everything we can to get into the tournament,” Hoyer said on 670 The Score’s “Bernstein and Rahimi” Wednesday.
“But we do want to spend intelligently and realize that there’s opportunity in free agency, but there’s also risk and let’s weigh those things the right way.”
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A common refrain in sports is anything can happen in the playoffs. You just have to get there.
That certainly was true in 2021, when the 88-win Atlanta Braves went on second-half run, clinched the NL East and won the World Series.
“I think we just saw the value of sort of getting in the tournament,” Hoyer said. “I think Atlanta was widely thought to probably have the lowest odds, the worst odds of any team in the National League that made the playoffs, and they just won the World Series.
“So I think the goal has to be to get in the tournament. I think that’s the goal every single year. I think we have to try to build a team that can be competitive and can do that.”
Atlanta spent the entire first half under .500 but augmented its roster with a flurry of trade deadline acquisitions, upgrading its outfield after losing Ronald Acuña Jr. to a torn ACL. That included acquiring Joc Pederson from the Cubs and eventual World Series MVP Jorge Soler from Kansas City.
On the other hand, the Cubs traded Pederson, Anthony Rizzo, Javy Báez, Kris Bryant, among others, in a deadline selloff and finished with 91 losses — their first losing season since 2014.
The Cubs have a number of roster needs to address this winter, starting with the rotation.
"I’ve said this quite a bit. We have resources to spend this winter," Hoyer said. "We certainly will spend this winter. But we want to do it in the most intelligent fashion possible."
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