(670 The Score) Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has a decision to make before the July 30 trade deadline, as he'll need to dictate the organization's direction for the 2021 season and beyond.
The Cubs have star players like first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Javier Baez and infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant on expiring contracts but also stand in first place in the NL Central at 32-25. That will force Hoyer to make a choice on whether to buy or sell players at the deadline.
With the Cubs in first place, Hoyer sees his team forcing his hand toward buying, he said on Inside the Clubhouse on on 670 The Score on Saturday morning.
"Certainly, it's our hope to be on the good side of those transactions where we're adding and really pushing to win this year," Hoyer said. "That's what everybody, from ownership on down, really wants."
The Cubs anticipate having financial "flexibility" ahead of the trade deadline, Hoyer said, with Wrigley Field expanding to full 100% capacity beginning next Friday. It's a date that's ahead of the initial schedule, Hoyer indicated.
The Cubs have lost their first two games in a pivotal West Coast road trip, including an 8-5 loss to the Giants on Friday at Oracle Park. Chicago will play two more games in San Francisco before traveling to San Diego for a thee-game series with the Padres, whom the Cubs swept at Wrigley Field last week.
The Cubs have a challenging month of June that includes just eight remaining home games compared to 15 road games.
"There's no question that this is a period of the schedule where we have to play really well," Hoyer said.
"We need to keep playing the same kind of energetic baseball we've been playing the last month, and we'll be OK. But it's a challenging one."