Chicago Cubs have tried to maintain a low profile in the past few years. While the team has tried making big signings, they have maintained control over their payroll. The 2016 World Series winners have been rebuilding their squad for the past few years after their successful run in the mid-2010s ended abruptly. Last season, the North Siders were close to entering their first postseason since 2020 when they inexplicably collapsed and ended up losing 15 of their last 22 games. Due to this, they decided to replace David Ross with Craig Counsell as their manager.

Craig Counsell was the winningest manager of the Milwaukee Brewers. After the Cubbies signed him to a massive contract, experts wondered whether Chicago Cubs were ready to make uncharacteristically huge signings to support him. The president has now answered these queries in an interview.

The Chicago Cubs will do big business if things fall their way

Jed Hoyer has always been a fan of Craig Counsell. He first began appreciating him in the 2017 season when Counsell took a clearly lower-quality Brewers toe to toe with the Hoyer’s champions squad for the whole season. So it was clear that Hoyer was waiting for an opportunity to sign the manager. But now that he has finally signed him, the question arises whether he will support him in an uncharacteristic way or not.

Chicago Cubs has been highly financially prudent. The “Lovable Losers” are actually big winners when it comes to maintaining a healthy payroll. So for them to spend heavily in the market would have been quite a sight to see. Alas! Jed Hoyer has denied that possibility. He said as much during his talks with the reporters in the GM meetings.

He said, “I don’t think that [by hiring Counsell] we signal that we’re going to have some crazy, aggressive offseason,” Hoyer said. “But certainly, I really like our position. And if there are moves, even big moves, that will help us continue that trajectory, we’ll definitely do it. But I don’t think it’s a signal that, like, somehow we’re going to have the biggest and boldest offseason. If we do, it’s because things lined up for us.” 

The North Siders will continue to work smartly as they strive to create a competitive team. Though the team is linked to several big names, it’s clear that they will sign them only if the chips fall in their favor. Who is the biggest name, though?

Who are the Cubbies looking to bring to the North side?

Chicago Cubs are connected to several big names, with the closest link among them being Cody Bellinger. They brought Bellinger to the team in 2023, raising several eyebrows. The outfielder had been meandering ever since his 2019 MVP season, so to get him into the fold made many people skeptical. Yet he found a rebirth with the Cubs as he batted his career-best .307/.356/.525. The Cubs would desperately try to get him back now that he has entered free agency.

Read more – “You Messing With Me?”: Milwaukee Brewers Owner Shares Shock Over Craig Counsell’s Chicago Move, Days After Historic Cubs Deal

Should they fail to lure Bellinger, the North Side Nine will put in serious bids for the Japanese icon Shohei Ohtani. Although they are not considered hot favorites to sign the two-way phenom stranger, things have happened in baseball before. Another name linked with the Cubs is Juan Soto.

So now that the president has clarified their strategy, it has become interesting as to where the Chicago Cubs will choose to direct their attention. Will they succeed in creating a team that can become contenders like they used to be in the 2010s? The Bleacher Bums sure will be hoping they do.

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