Cubs top executive Jed Hoyer told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers on Monday that if the team doesn’t go on a winning streak in the next week, their focus will shift to improving the roster for the future.
The Cubs are one of many teams in a precarious position, similar to the Giants, who have a 48-53 record and are currently outside the playoff picture. San Francisco is four games behind the New York Mets for the third Wild Card spot. Although it’s a challenging position, it’s not insurmountable with two months left in the season.
However, five teams stand between the Giants and the Mets, meaning the Giants need several teams, including the Mets, to falter down the stretch. While not impossible, the odds are against them.
The Cubs are one of the teams ahead of the Giants in the standings. Observing the Cubs’ struggles from afar has been peculiar. When facing the Giants, they struggled with situational hitting and made baserunning errors, issues not unlike those faced by San Francisco.
Interestingly, the Cubs have a strong rotation with a 3.68 ERA in 2024, ranking eighth in baseball. They have four starters with at least 15 starts and ERAs of 3.15 or better. Usually, teams rely heavily on their starting pitching.
However, the Cubs’ bullpen and offense have lagged, prompting them to focus on the future. In contrast, the Giants lack a strong rotation but hope for a second-half surge with the return of veteran starters Robbie Ray and Alex Cobb. Ray returns this week, and Cobb will follow soon. Blake Snell, after a slow start and injuries, has been excellent in his recent outings.
Even if the Giants improve, it might be too late. They’ve played over 100 games and rely on players returning from significant injuries and performing effectively immediately.
The Giants’ front office has little choice but to take this risk. Selling would imply admitting the roster isn’t competitive, which could jeopardize Farhan Zaidi’s position after six seasons. This might prevent them from selling.
They may also not be in a position to buy. The Cubs have seemingly chosen their path for the remainder of the season. Despite similar challenges, the Giants might not be able to follow the same strategy.
