Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made it clear that the August 3 trade deadline is not a priority right now, despite his team's recent struggles. The Cubs have stumbled from first place in early May to near the bottom of the NL Central, dealing with an offensive drought that has them ranked 28th in hitting with runners in scoring position.

Their pitching staff hasn't helped matters either, ranking first in home runs allowed -- a troubling stat that has accelerated their slide down the standings. After dropping 10 straight games including eight consecutive at Wrigley Field, the team finally snapped their skid Thursday with a dramatic 7-6 comeback win over Oakland, sparked by a four-run ninth inning.

Hoyer emphasized that the position player group remains deep and established, believing these proven hitters will eventually return to form. However, pitching injuries have created holes, with Edward Cabrera returning from a blister issue while Matthew Boyd recovers from knee problems. The Cubs sit 5.5 games behind Milwaukee in the division race.

With multiple teams ahead in the standings, Hoyer's focus stays on immediate improvement rather than deadline moves. He acknowledged that any trade aggressiveness would depend on securing a first-round bye, which requires passing the Brewers -- a tall task given their current trajectory.