SAN ANTONIO — Within the rapid aftermath of the common season, Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner took the dialogue about constructing 90-win groups up a notch.
“I don’t suppose 90 wins ought to essentially be the aim,” he informed the Solar-Occasions, standing in entrance of his locker after the final sport. “I imply, it will get you to the playoffs — clearly, first issues first. However you wish to dominate. That’s what the Cubs ought to do. That’s what the usual needs to be.”
Constructing a 90-win staff grew to become a typical subject within the final week and a half of the season after the Cubs have been mathematically eradicated from the Nationwide League Central race and supervisor Craig Counsell known as 90 wins the “playoff commonplace.” Certainly, each NL playoff staff this yr received at the least 89 video games within the common season. The Diamondbacks had that many victories as properly however didn’t make it in, because of tiebreakers.
The Cubs received 83 video games, performing to projections. That put them 10 video games behind the division-champion Brewers (93-69) and tied them with
the Cardinals.
“I don’t see any purpose this staff couldn’t have received 90-plus video games,” Hoerner mentioned. “We didn’t win loads of large moments in shut video games, and I don’t suppose that’s an absence of preparation, however [there are] positively issues that we’ll construct on and be taught from and be higher outfitted for sooner or later.”
Hoerner is likely one of the hitters the Cubs thought had untapped potential even going into 2024, particularly when it got here to his energy numbers. They aren’t searching for him to morph right into a 20-homer hitter, however supplementing his contact potential with improved slug might assist them optimize their lineup.
Even battling by way of a fractured proper hand and a hamstring challenge, avoiding time on the injured listing for each, Hoerner hit a career-high 35 doubles.
However surgical procedure to restore a flexor tendon final month will form his offseason. Hoerner had been coping with the damage for at the least half the season, staff president Jed Hoyer mentioned.
“If you happen to return now and watch — we knew about it — you possibly can see some double-play turns the place he in all probability didn’t have as a lot on the throw as he needed,” Hoyer mentioned. “You possibly can see him working balls over and sort of short-arming some balls. So it’s a credit score to his toughness that he was ready simply to play by way of and play very well.”
Hoyer mentioned the timeline for Hoerner’s return is unsure. With out him, the Cubs have middle-infield depth that stretches into the prospect ranks with Matt Shaw and James Triantos. They usually at all times might add to the group this offseason with somebody who might complement the present roster — a left-handed batter who might push for normal time as a utilityman, for instance. Nonetheless, given the vary of potential restoration time for Hoerner, it’s unclear whether or not the Cubs must faucet into that depth early in 2025. So long as he doesn’t expertise setbacks, he isn’t anticipated to overlook vital time.
A number of younger Cubs pitchers additionally ended the season injured or with well being points. Rookie right-hander Ben Brown is scheduled to have one other scan in mid-November to verify a benign space of concern in his neck has absolutely dissipated.
“Our hope is that he has a no-restrictions offseason,” Hoyer mentioned Monday. “However I don’t suppose we’ll know that for a pair weeks.”
After spending 2½ months from June to September on the IL with a strained proper indirect, left-hander Jordan Wicks noticed his season finish a few weeks early when he started feeling discomfort close to his indirect that turned out to be a rib challenge inflicting tightness within the space. The Cubs don’t anticipate the damage to hinder his offseason.
Their prime pitching prospect, right-hander Cade Horton, made simply 9 begins due to a pressure of the subscapularis in his proper shoulder that worn out the remainder of his season. Earlier than the damage, he had appeared prone to debut this yr. He’s now on observe to begin a throwing development this offseason.
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