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Craig Counsell talks the Chicago Cubs returning from the All-Star break
It's time for the second half of the MLB season. Cubs manager Craig Counsell talks what's next for the team after the Midsummer Classic.
It was a very good All-Star Break for the Chicago Cubs.
Pete Crow-Armstrong became a darling idol for young baseball players everywhere, Kyle Tucker made stellar plays in the outfield and even ex-Cubs Kyle Schwarber and Javier Baez starred in their own way.
Among all the candor and call-backs in the Cubs' dugout Friday morning, team president Jed Hoyer offered a sobering reminder of what's to come for his team.
"No one’s untouchable," Hoyer said.
What we know:
The deadline is July 31. It's less than two weeks away and the Cubs are seemingly set on making a splash that falls inline with their contending attitude.
For most of the first half of the regular season, the Cubs have made it clear they're going forward with the team they have. Kyle Tucker will be a free agent after this season, and his price tag keeps growing after he earned his spot as an All-Star starter in left field. Pete Crow-Armstrong is a fringe MVP candidate after smacking 25 home runs and stealing 25 bases before the All-Star Break.
The Cubs are also first in the NL Central, one game ahead of the Brewers. The talk of them contending for a World Series has to include being good enough to beat the Brewers, too.
The team doesn't need motivation, though. They understand.
"I don't think this group lacks in urgency," Hoyer said.
The team does have needs, though.
Big picture view:
The Cubs remain in a precarious spot.
Tucker might be in Wrigley for just one year. Crow-Armstrong also needs a contract extension that's in line with him being the next face of the team. With that in mind, giving up a top prospect like Owen Caissie when a starting spot in the outfield might open soon.
Still, the Cubs need pitching if they want to contend. The phones have already started to ring, too.
"The traffic of calls definitely picks up after the draft," Hoyer said. "We're in the trade deadline discussion time."
The Cubs do have pieces to trade, though. Caissie has been one of the best players in the minors recently.
"He's been awesome, probably one of the best hitters in the minor leagues the last six to eight weeks," Hoyer said. "We have a lot of really good prospects."
It stands to reason that if the Cubs believe they have a chance to contend for a World Series – which they currently do with one of the best records in the MLB – they should be willing to trade one of their best prospects for a player that puts them over the top.
"At the same time, we have a lot of good prospects," Hoyer said. "You have to feel like you're getting commensurate value."
Hoyer isn't going to approach trades with a clear desire, either. He won't trade for a pitcher because he feels like he needs a No. 2 starter or a guy who could be that pitcher in Game 6 or 7 of a World Series. He's been there before. Hoyer didn't put that label on Mike Montgomery when the Cubs acquired him in 2016 and he closed Game 7 of the World Series.
"Not going to lie, I didn't expect that when we traded for Mike in '16," Hoyer said.
But, he needs to add to the Cubs' pitching arsenal with Jameson Tallion and Javier Assad injured, and Justin Steele lost for the year.
What's next:
Hoyer spent a bit of time recalling when he traded away Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant, among others, in 2021 when the Cubs sold off to try and rebuild.
He wanted to do one deal per day in July that year. It didn't happen. Instead, he went right up to the trade deadline.
He expects that to happen again as teams who aren't sellers might change their minds in the coming week, or a team that's selling now might catch wind and reverse course.
"This is a year where there may be some creativity, because there's not some obvious sellers," Hoyer said. "It's one of the fun parts of this job, you have to alter your playbook."
Hoyer will take the next two weeks to finalize who will help the team, and do what he can to acquire that player.
No one's untouchable, within reason.
"It all depends on the return," he said.