The Chicago Cubs had an up-and-down first series of the 2025 season against the Arizona Diamondbacks, where they split the four-game set. Things started well on Thursday night when the bats came alive, and the team won 10-6. It was a complete flip from what the group put on display in Japan and instantly turned around the early thoughts from fans regarding the disappointing trip.
The second game of the series turned everything sour again when Jameson Taillon got roughed up in his first start of the year. The veteran right-hander gave up six earned runs in the 8-1 loss, where the Cubs’ bats once again fell silent. Shota Imanaga looked fantastic in Saturday’s 4-3 win that the bullpen nearly gave away, and they might have done so if it wasn’t for Dansby Swanson’s game-saving defensive play.
An already low point in the season came on Sunday when the bullpen blew a four-run lead by allowing eight runs in the bottom of the eighth inning en route to a 10-6 loss. Hoyer’s comments entering the series still ring true for this group, but it’s already apparent that changes will need to be made if they want a legitimate chance at competing for a pennant in 2025.
Jed Hoyer gives early thoughts on the 2025 Chicago Cubs
The eighth inning collapse on Sunday is one that fans hope isn’t a frequent occurrence like it was a season ago. Hoyer acknowledges the fact that this team doesn’t have a lot of room to struggle this season in what will be a tough league to compete in.
“I feel like for us, we don’t have a lot of margin for error,” Hoyer said. We need guys to improve, we need to stay healthy, we need to play clean baseball. I think that the way this team is built – we have a really good defensive team, we should run the bases well. We don’t have the ability to sort of muddle through and just show up and make the postseason. We have to have a really good season to do that.”
Despite the NL Central not looking good overall on paper entering the season, it doesn’t mean that it’s automatically the Cubs’ crown for the taking. They should not settle and play down to their competition within the division, and if anything, they need to outplay any projections to prepare them for the bigger goals they are looking to tackle.
“As a group, we need to outperform,” Hoyer said. “And that really goes for everybody in the league. I think if we outperform, we have a chance to be that 90-win team you’re talking about, to feel like we have a really deep, solid team.”
90 wins get you into the dance most of the time. That should always be the number that the Cubs strive for on a yearly basis, and the last two 83-win seasons have been disappointing in different ways. It’s huge to start strong, but in Chicago’s case, in recent memory, the month of September has been more important than anything. The last full month of the regular season is what has sunk the Cubs’ ship in recent years, and having enough gas in the tank to make it over the finish line will be the top priority at the end of the year.
The Chicago Cubs have trusted Jed Hoyer for this year’s roster
While many fans are irritated at the lack of resources given to Hoyer and the front office to build a stronger team for the season, the decisions he has made will still be looked at under a microscope. The bullpen has been the biggest issue for over the last two years, and Sunday’s showing felt like a disaster that everyone has seen over and over again.
Many are hoping that the front office not landing another bat and an extra rotation arm won’t come back to haunt them. It will be up to them to make up for any of these issues at the trade deadline, but moving on from certain prospects down on the farm will be a much harder task than one would think.
Chicago Cubs need to sign veteran reliever now more than ever
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