After helping the Red Sox win two World Series titles, Jed Hoyer came to the Chicago Cubs and ended the club’s championship drought in 2016. The Cubs haven’t returned to the World Series ever since, with their last postseason win coming in 2017.
It’s raised questions regarding Hoyer’s future in Chicago. The club is coming off a four-year playoff drought and while the team has posted a winning record in each of the last two seasons, Hoyer has failed to build even an 85-win team since 2018.
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- Chicago Cubs payroll 2025 (FanGraphs): $191 million
There’s hope in Chicago for that changing this season. The Cubs are heavily favored to win the NL Central, with some early projections having them as an 85-win team or better. It could be an even higher total if the team is able to land All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman, with Hoyer and the Cubs front office engaged in contract negotiations with agent Scott Boras.
Hoyer, who came to Chicago in 2012, is also entering the last year of his contract. While the Cubs president of baseball operations is widely regarded as one of the best executives in MLB, a future in Chicago seemingly hasn’t been determined.
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According to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, the Cubs haven’t had any talks with Hoyer about a potential contract extension ahead of the 2025 MLB season. If he wants to return as president of baseball operations in 2026, the mandate seems to be simple.
If the Cubs win the NL Central, Hoyer is expected to be welcomed back with a new contract signed following the season. However, if Chicago’s postseason drought continues, the franchise is expected to let his contract expire and replace him this winter.
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Assuming Hoyer is let go, he would likely find a job relatively quickly as a three-time World Series champion. As for the Cubs, while it would be an attractive job, top candidates might also have questions regarding the team’s commitment to spending after ownership claimed the franchise lost money in 2024.
Even with some concerns regarding ownership’s willingness to have one of the highest MLB payrolls in the years to come, a top-10 farm system with the young talent already on the Cubs roster will still provide this job with plenty of appealing factors if Hoyer needs to be replaced.
