Cubs' Hoyer says team wants to 'add a lot more players'

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While David Ross works with the Chicago Cubs during spring training, Jed Hoyer is looking to add more players to the mix for his manager.

Hoyer and new general manager Carter Hawkins are still working the phones as the team begins spring training. Gold Glove shortstop Andrelton Simmons and veteran reliever Jesse Chavez recently agreed to deals, and Ross finalized a contract extension.

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"We are certainly going to add a lot more players," Hoyer said Monday during the first spring press conference for the team's president of baseball operations. "No question about that. We certainly have some openings, and we are going to be talking to teams and free agents.

"We have a number of holes to address. Our biggest focus has been on pitching and pitching depth. Everyone knows the value of innings at the beginning of the season is going to be real."

Chicago Cubs manager David Ross stands in the dugout during a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Pittsburgh, Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Cubs added another starting pitcher when Marcus Stroman agreed to a $71 million, three-year contract in December. Then the lockout stopped all contact between teams and players for 99 days.

The labor strife has created another unusual training camp after the COVID-19 pandemic affected each of the past two years.

"It’s been a crazy, few days," Hoyer said. "One of the fun things about this time is we never experienced something like this. Right around 6 o’clock on Thursday it was like start your engines. Start making phone calls as fast as you can, and everyone was doing it.

"This is