The Chicago Cubs walked off the field in Game 5 of the NLDS with a familiar feeling- of being close but not close enough. Milwaukee Brewers sent them packing, and while that loss stung them, it made one thing clear—they need reinforcements and serious planning this off-season. They need bullpen help and stability. But mostly, they need a will to spend. 

But instead of spending, the team seems to be now choosing cost control over contention, at least according to insiders. And this is hardly a speculation, given it’s a pattern that the Cubs have followed, and hence it is difficult to ignore the rumors.

Bleacher Report, in fact, was blunt in their assessment: “Relative to their market size and revenue opportunities, the Chicago Cubs simply do not spend enough… It would be nice if they changed that up one of these times.” This statement lands like a slap to the franchise’s face, but it is for sure true.

When you put up the Cubs’ payroll against the big market teams, what Bleacher Report is saying makes sense. The Dodgers are highest with their half a billion in CBT payroll. The Mets, Yankees, Phillies, and Blue Jays are right behind. Meanwhile, Chicago, a franchise that’s valued at $4.5 million, is in the middle of the pack.

They are spending less than teams with a fraction of market power. For most teams, it’s just business, and for the Cubs, it seems like a pattern. And for insiders, this is not going to change anything soon. David Kaplan didn’t sugarcoat it on Coffee with Kap, saying the Cubs won’t be playing in the “deep end of the pool.” So sure, they will add pieces, but they won’t be megadeals. Plus, that’s not a Jed Hoyer decision, but the ownership cutting the money wings- so the blame goes to the Ricketts family!

Jeff Passan from ESPN also chimed in, saying, “The right time to splurge a little” is now given. 27-year-old Arm-like Tatsuya Imai is available without draft pick penalties. But history says the Cubs don’t shop top shelf, and their last big spend was on Yu Darvish, and it was decades ago.

And if you are left wondering, why don’t the Cubs spend? You are not alone!

The reason why the Cubs might be holding off on spending big till 2027!

Insider David Kaplan gave one reason why the Cubs, even though they need to spend like a big market franchise, will act like a small market shopper this time. And according to him, the Cubs’ decision is tied heavily with this, the looming MLB labor dispute, and the possibility of a 2027 lockout. It is surprising that they would go the route, given they were a team that was once projected to win the World Series this season! And it’s not just about uncertainty, but Kaplan also pointed out that the Cubs, along with the Yankees and Red Sox, are among the ownership groups that are asking for a salary cap.

That’s become the biggest sticking point between the owners and the players’ association, creating more rift behind the scenes. At the end of the season press conference, Jed Hoyer also didn’t shy away from talking about the unknowns of the labor landscape and the front office.

Hoey kept things honest, saying, “The truth of the matter is, we don’t know what the future holds in that regard, and certainly those decisions are going to happen well above me, and those conversations will happen for a long time. So I think you can pay attention to it. I think it’s something that you have to consider. But we don’t know what’s going to happen, and there’s real uncertainty there for us and for 29 other teams.”

So if you read between the lines, it is clear that the Chicago Cubs are not eager to tackle big swings even though this will frustrate the fanbase. So the Chicago Cubs might now be staying clear of the elite free agents and continuing with the short-term deals, bargain hunting, and looking for pitchers who need a little polish to shine. It fits the MO for the team, but it doesn’t fit what the roster really needs.

Because for now, the Cubs have one big hole—a frontline starter. He is a legitimate top of the rotation arm—and it seems like Chicago is far from getting one. So they are stuck in a limbo between ambition and hesitation!