Chicago Cubs’ free fall is now officially a Jed Hoyer problem

During their 6-game home stand at Wrigley Field against the Brewers and Astros, they were not only swept, but they looked lifeless, flat, and out of answers. As the Cubs continue their freefall, the fans are becoming impatient and livid. And their wrath has turned to manager Craig Counsell. He finally shuffled the lineup. He’s benched veterans. He’s moved pieces around like a man desperate for answers. But the losing streak continues.

At some point, the conversation has to shift away from the manager and toward the man who built the roster that keeps collapsing the same way, year after year.

This is a Jed Hoyer crisis.

Every year of the Hoyer era has featured a slump so catastrophic that it derails the season:

• 2023: The September collapse cost them the division.
• 2024: 21-34 record in May and June.
• 2025: 27-12 record by May 8, followed by a 2–13 stretch that knocked them out of contention.
• 2026: Now a nine‑game losing streak with no end in sight.

But nothing is working right now because the problems aren’t tactical. They’re structural. And Hoyer is responsible for them.

Hoyer deserves more criticism than Counsell

Let’s start with the Cubs’ pitching. Their depth has evaporated under a wave of injuries, and there are no pitchers in their farm system who are available. Even worse, the relievers he has signed, Phil Maton, Hunter Harvey, and Ryan Rolison, have been inconsistent, and Harvey is now on the 60-day IL.

Their best pitching prospect, Jaxon Wiggins, has been hurt all season, and even Hoyer does not know when he is healthy enough to pitch.

This is the cost of poor drafting and the development of pitchers by the front office. The Cubs are stuck with veterans like Jamison Taillon, Matthew Boyd, and Shota Imanaga, who lack velocity. Meanwhile, the Brewers have developed Jacob Misiorowski and Kyle Harrison, who have tormented the Cubs even with the departure of Freddy Peralta.

Meanwhile, the offense has been the biggest downfall during their slump. Hoyer’s offensive philosophy has been clear: safe college bats, high‑contact hitters, and veterans who project as steady but with limited ceiling.

The result? The Cubs don’t have enough hitters who can change a game with one swing like Aaron Judge, Kyle Schwarber, and Shohei Ohtani. They have plenty of defensive stalwarts like Alex Bregman, Ian Happ, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner. But when the pressure rises — like during their current game losing streak — the entire offense folds.

When Milwaukee continues to thrive without Counsell and limited resources, it is no longer an accident. It is a poor reflection on the entire Cubs organization. It is a serious indictment against Hoyer. And until he changes his philosophy, the Cubs will keep reliving the same nightmare every year. And no manager, no lineup shuffle, and no motivational speech will save them.

The post Chicago Cubs’ free fall is now officially a Jed Hoyer problem appeared first on ChiCitySports.