Chicago Cubs’ Jed Hoyer under fire for lackluster trade deadline

Sorry, Chicago Cubs fans, but Jed Hoyer isn’t going anywhere despite having a weak showing at the trade deadline. On Monday, the Cubs agreed to a multi-year extension with Hoyer days before the trade deadline on Thursday.

By Thursday afternoon, Chicago succeeded in adding four players: Willi Castro from the Minnesota Twins and pitchers Taylor Rogers, Michael Soroka, and Andrew Kittredge from the Orioles.

Chicago Cubs named “losers” by ESPN

The Cubs’ haul was so bland that David Schoenfield of ESPN named Chicago as one of the league’s “losers” at the trade deadline.

“The Cubs weren’t inactive — they added third baseman/utilityman Willi Castro and a couple marginal pitchers in Michael Soroka and Andrew Kittredge — but it was a surprisingly non-aggressive deadline for a team battling the Brewers for the National League Central title,” Schoenfield wrote. “No Eugenio Suarez. No impact starting pitcher like Merrill Kelly.

“None of the impact relievers who exchanged teams. The Cubs have a pretty good farm system, so had the resources to make a trade for one of those players, but erred on the side of caution. We’ll see if that costs them a division title or haunts them in October.”

The Cubs traded away Cam Smith to have right fielder Kyle Tucker on the roster for an all-in season in 2025. Hoyer didn’t come through with making this team a threat to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in the postseason and reach the World Series.

Cubs fans are upset with Jed Hoyer

Cubs fans on social media vented their frustrations with Hoyer.

The internet:
“The Cubs are VERY interested in Eugenio Suarez”

“The Cubs are SERIOUS players for MacKenzie Gore”

Jed Hoyer:
pic.twitter.com/Ge2Bug31Qr

— Will Applebee (@NOTSCWill) July 31, 2025

“That one comment shows why Jed is not the right guy for the job. The goal should be to win the World Series, not be good every year,” posted a fan.

“Just really comforting to know that Jed Hoyer lives in his own made up world where he has decided what market prices are for trades (and free agency a lot of the time) while everyone else executes transactions in accordance with reality’s market Go Cubs!” wrote another.

“The cubs had a horrendous deadline and I’d be stunned if they manage to win the Central but I have to give credit where it’s due to Jed Hoyer. We all dream of getting a bunch of money at your job and then never working again. And he nailed that,” argued a fan.