Jed Hoyer: Cubs looking beyond this season at trade deadline - ESPN

CHICAGO — As this year's MLB trade deadline approaches, the Chicago Cubs are concentrating on their future beyond this season, according to president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer.

Hoyer, speaking before his team hosted the first place Milwaukee Brewers on Monday, indicated any moves he makes between now and the July 30 deadline will be with «2025 and beyond in mind.»

«Where we are right now, I would have to say that moves only for 2024 — unless things change over the next week — we probably won't do a lot of moves that only help us for this year,» Hoyer said. «If moves help us for 2025 and beyond I think we're exceptionally well positioned.»

The Cubs begin the week in fourth place in the NL central, five games under .500 and 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot. They currently need to leapfrog five teams to secure a postseason berth and in Hoyer's estimation haven't played well enough to justify acquiring rentals for this year.

«We had two months of playing really poorly,» he said. «That put us in a poor position.»

The team has taken a step backward after a successful campaign in 2023, when it won 83 games and just missed out on the postseason. After the Cubs added two promising rookies in pitcher Shota Imanaga and first baseman Michael Busch — plus high-priced manager Craig Counsell — there were greater expectations for this season. But a lackluster offense doomed the team's first 100 games, leading to Hoyer's proclamation Monday.

The Cubs ranked sixth in runs scored last season but that has fallen to 24th this year.

«One difference between this year and last year is that our lineup has felt more shallow,» Hoyer stated. «This is not the conversation I expected to be having. You have to react to it and make the best