Cubs Owner Says Future Success Rests on One Man And It’s Not Kyle Tucker or PCA

For much of this season, the Cubs’ fanbase has made a consistent request to the organization. The request is to extend Kyle Tucker. The noise wasn’t lost on the executive chairman of the club—Tom Ricketts. He admitted with a grin, “I admit it’s been a theme of the summer for the fans here. But we’ll just pick up that at the end of the season.” Right now, he has his hands full with other key developments that have recently occurred within the club. Take Friday’s festivities at Wrigley Field, for example. That day was a mix of somber and celebratory.

After all the waiting, the Cubs were awarded the 2027 All-Star Game. On the same day, the Cubs notched a 1-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. During the same game, they honored franchise legend and Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg, who passed away earlier that week. Phew! Friday finally wrapped up a hectic week for the Cubs. In fact, right before the beginning of their three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers, they extended the backbone of the team’s success.

Team’s success? You might immediately think of their star outfielder, Tucker, or center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong, but apparently, neither of them. It’s in fact Jed Hoyer—the president of baseball operations.

Interestingly, Hoyer was extended three days before the trade deadline’s expiry date. His extension erased any doubts around his future with the Cubs beyond this season. Another factor was that without uncertainties, he could make potential trades without worrying about job security.

With that in mind, Ricketts was asked if that was the reason why he timely handed Hoyer the extension. He candidly answered, “I’m not sure it mattered that much, to be honest. It just seemed like if we know what we’re going to do, let’s just get it over with.” When it came down to Tucker’s extension, he nonchalantly conveyed that he’ll pick that idea up by the end of the season.

Rickets also added regarding Hoyer’s impact on the organization, noting that over the past few years, Hoyer has improved not only the team’s on-field performance but also the overall health of the Cubs’ system. He said it’s not just about the wins on the field but also about building a stronger organization overall—better minor leaguers, smarter drafts, and a team that’s always pushing to get better. Bottom line, Ricketts feels pretty confident that Hoyer is the right guy to lead the Cubs moving forward.

So, based on Ricketts’ remarks, it’s been Hoyer who can shape the Cubs’ upcoming era, not their star players like Tucker or PCA.

Cubs owner’s unshakable trust in Jed Hoyer’s decisions

As of late, the Cubs are in second place in the NL Central division. They are only two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. They are, overall, doing just fine at this point of the season. However, after the trade deadline, their positives seem overshadowed.

Across the league and beyond, the Cubs were expected to add big names to the roster or at least address their gaps. The Cubs didn’t meet the expectations at the deadline, and they only ended up adding a few players. They acquired Michael Soroka for their starting rotation, two relievers—Taylor Rogers and Andrew Kittredge, and a utility player, Willi Castro.

Behind these additions was none other than Hoyer. He took much of the heat from the Cubs’ frustrated fan base. After all, they expected the club to go all-in to be championship-ready. However, despite it all, his biggest fan, Ricketts, indirectly defended him, saying, “We had a good trade deadline.”

He emphasized that Hoyer considered some high-leverage players and that many discussions took place. Moreover, he believes that there is nothing wrong with the additions Hoyer made, despite all the backlash.