Here’s to 2025: The Cubs’ Season Ends On a Low Note

Many have wondered if the Chicago Cubs could, and should, have made more of an effort to secure their place in the NL Central and National League. And these fears became reality.

The team is now officially excluded from the playoffs after their 5-1 loss to the Nationals on Saturday, Sept. 21, and a report from an MLB insider has stated that there is friction within the front office of the Chicago Cubs.

This season didn’t turn out exactly like the team was expecting. Due to the unfortunate rejection from the playoffs by one game last year, the ownership group and front office proclaimed they were going to put together a roster that would contend for the postseason.

While the team made Craig Counsell MLB’s highest-paid manager to date, they became one of the last teams to add a player in free agency. Eventually, the team was able to add some players, notably signing star international pitcher Shota Imanaga, and star reliever Hector Neris–not to mention reuniting with Cody Bellinger late in the process.

August was great for the Cubs, getting them into the wild card race, but now all hope is gone.

When asked about the upcoming season and selling the team, the president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer stated that their eyes are on a better 2025 season after having landed Isaac Paredes from the Tampa Bay Rays at the trade deadline. However, this will just be viewed as cheap talk until the Cubs are finally able to get into the postseason.

Now this winter, Chicago’s operations as a whole will be watched like a hawk as more seemingly high-profile players enter the market. Despite the rough season, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Jed Hoyer will return for the 2025 season.

With a contract running through the 2025 season, some changes may be made due to the drop of the Cubs from the postseason. As of right now, Hoyer has seemed to be underwhelming in his role, despite building up the farm system into one of the top pipelines in the league. This winter, things might get interesting.