Chicago Cubs focus on pitching after postseason exit

Following a postseason exit in the NL Wild Card series against the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer addressed the team’s shortcomings and future priorities.

Hoyer noted that the team lost home-field advantage due to poor performance in late September and struggled significantly during the playoff series in San Diego. Despite possessing the highest-scoring offense and the best defense in baseball, the Cubs' offense went quiet during the final stretch of the season and the playoffs, scoring only 16 runs over their final eight games.

Looking toward the 2027 season, Hoyer identified pitching acquisition as the primary offseason focus. He acknowledged that the pitching staff struggled throughout the year and admitted to making mistakes regarding the bullpen construction. While the team remains in a strong position regarding position players, Hoyer stated that the quality of pitching must improve for the Cubs to become World Series contenders.