At the deadline, Cubs’ Jed Hoyer finally showed how aggressive he can be

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has taken plenty of heat for his perceived lack of aggressiveness in the past. As someone who tethers himself to playoff odds, repeatedly speaks of intelligent spending and has a general manager in Carter Hawkins who once referenced 2032 to explain the lack of big moves last summer, Hoyer has had his critics. But after a flurry of moves that saw him part with multiple talented young players, it’s probably time to look at Hoyer in a new light.

“Ideally, you don’t trade prospects,” Hoyer said Monday, after MLB’s trade deadline had passed. “But at the same time, we’re here to win. We’re here to make this roster better. We’ve invested a lot in this roster. Not just financially, but in terms of how we put the roster together. It’s a really good team. So that’s part of being in contention and being in a good position. You have to make those decisions.”

To get starters Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes and Braxton Garrett, along with reliever Ryan Zeferjahn and outfielder Tyrone Taylor, the Cubs gave up a total of seven players. Among those traded were Moisés Ballesteros, who started the season as the team’s designated hitter, and Jefferson Rojas, who some see as the organization’s top prospect.

It was odd to see the Cubs give up so much talent and not come away with a starting pitcher who would be both a significant addition in 2026 and under control beyond this season. Chicago’s front office likes Garrett, but right now, he is a depth piece who was pitching for Miami’s Triple-A affiliate this season. Giving up Ballesteros, along with pitching prospect Mason McGwire, for Zeferjahn — who is under control through 2030 and extremely talented, but still a reliever — is a departure for this front office.

But on Monday, Hoyer said prices on controllable starters at the deadline remained quite high.

“Similar to last year, the controllable starting pitching market was really tough,” Hoyer said. “Obviously, we talked to a lot of teams about controllable starters. Candidly, we never got very close on that and we were committed to adding starting pitching.”

Rojas had generated a lot of buzz, but according a person with knowledge of the matter, speaking anonymously so as to freely discuss the situation, the Cubs didn’t find he had the same value on the market. At least not with teams Chicago was engaging with. Versatile infielder Pedro Ramírez, along with prospects Josiah Hartshorn, Owen Ayers and Kane Kepley, were all getting more interest. It would have likely taken multiple of those names, along with others, to pry away an under-control starter.

“We were on everybody,” Hoyer said. “That trade deadline is such a match-making game. Who likes your prospects, how do you line up? There’s teams that you just don’t line up with and it’s very obvious right away that this person that you’re getting connected with over and over again is not gonna happen.”

The Cubs engaged the Los Angeles Angels on José Soriano, who was ultimately moved to Toronto, and Reid Detmers. They also talked to Seattle about George Kirby and Emerson Hancock. The cost on Detmers was always higher than Soriano and Chicago never felt it was close. By Monday, the Cubs had moved on to focusing on the rental market.

There was a feeling within Chicago’s front office that the team had to add as much pitching as it possibly could. Even with starter Edward Cabrera and relievers Daniel Palencia and Hoby Milner nearing returns from injuries and others, such as Ben Brown, Justin Steele and Hunter Harvey, possibly part of the equation in the future, Hoyer felt like relying on those returning arms would be taking too much of a risk.

“There’s two months, 50 games, and you can’t really make (anymore) outside additions,” Hoyer said. “You spend the entire season making outside additions, small (ones), just trying to get through the season. This was sort of the last exit ramp to add guys to be able to get through the season. I think that’s critically important. There’s no more waiver trades anymore. Given how the season’s gone, given how we’ve had to make those moves over and over, I think really reinforcing our pitching staff for this last 50 games made a lot of sense.”

By the time Gausman, Holmes and Zeferjahn enter a game for the Cubs, they will be the team’s 36th, 37th and 38th pitchers used this season, not including position players. According to Marquee Sports Network’s Chris Kamka, no other team has used more than 30. So Hoyer’s instincts here aren’t off base.

This wasn’t quite Theo Epstein’s “If not now, when?” moment. Hoyer hates the phrase “going all in,” so he’d likely shudder at the suggestion that this was what Chicago did. This team may not be leading its division and the World Series odds may not be in its favor, but Hoyer clearly believes in this group.

The reason why he upgraded the pitching is obvious. By fWAR, this is the best offense in baseball; they’re third by wRC+ and fourth in runs. Defensively, they are far and away the best team in baseball by nearly every advanced metric.

There was just one weakness. Hoyer and his front office watched as their pitching crumbled down the stretch last season. Their 2025 trade deadline addition, Michael Soroka, left his first outing as a Cub with shoulder discomfort and landed on the injured list. Cade Horton looked primed to be Chicago’s postseason ace, but broke a rib shortly before October arrived. Shota Imanaga never looked right after suffering an early-season injury and ran out of gas come the playoffs.

This is Chicago’s reaction to seeing all that. To seeing a first half full of injuries. And to seeing a roster that has a shot to win the World Series but clearly needed more healthy arms. It’s not time to put Hoyer in the same conversation as gunslingers like Dave Dombrowski or A.J. Preller. But so many have been begging him to capitalize on the moment. Hoyer saw it, and did exactly that.