Jesse Rogers Oct 2, 2026, 06:00 PM ET After a playoff sweep by the San Diego Padres, Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer identified pitching as the top offseason priority. Hoyer stated the quality of the pitching staff must improve overall, noting the team gave up 12 runs in two games. The Cubs struggled with home runs, ranking among the most given up in the National League during the regular season.
Hoyer admitted he did a poor job managing the bullpen, referencing free agent acquisitions like Hunter Harvey and Phil Maton who underperformed due to injuries. Top starters Cade Horton, Justin Steele, and Ben Brown also missed significant time on the injured list. Midseason addition Kevin Gausman posted a 4.83 ERA after joining the Cubs, while Clay Holmes struggled with an 8.24 ERA in September and never appeared in a playoff game. Jacob Webb blew three saves with late-inning home runs.
With several pitchers including Shota Imanaga, David Peterson, Gausman, Holmes, and Matthew Boyd set to become free agents, Hoyer emphasized that both quantity and quality will be priorities this winter to stabilize the rotation and bullpen.
Source: ESPN MLB · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing