Trying to figure out the Chicago Cubs GOALS for 2026

Trying to figure out the Chicago Cubs GOALS for 2026

We are going to try our very best to figure out the 2026 goals of the Cubs. You are Locked on Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now the number one sports podcast network. We are your team every day alongside Sam Olber. I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans taking our passion into discussion with you on all things Cubs. Today’s episode is brought to you by FanDuel if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season. Visit fanuel.com and place your NFL live bets all season long. Uh later in the show, we go over the Cubs thin roster right now at only 32 players, lowest in baseball. Uh which does connect to spending the first part of the show here figuring out the goals for 2026. 2025 carried 92 wins, first postseason appearance in a full season since 2018, first postseason series win since 2018. And Sam, I I just don’t see why, and before we even get into roster stuff, because I got plenty of reasons why that should be a consideration, too, but I just don’t see why they shouldn’t be using 2025 as momentum to try to take advantage uh of of 26 along with the mix of highric veterans, costcontrolled young players, and and try to win win and win big in 26. I I didn’t know. I thought the goal was clear, but it’s it’s it it just seems hard to decipher right now. The goal is clear. It’s just you haven’t accepted it yet. Nor should you. Yeah. Nor should all of us. Well, especially for 26, Matt, we had we had Cap on the show. We’ve seen Carter Hawkins uh uh messages. Yeah. this his his comments last week were were uh not strong either. This team, they do have a plan. The plan is to be in the mix between 87 and 91 92 wins every year. And if you do that for five, six, seven straight years, hopefully the the the ball, you know, turns the way you want it to and and you win a world championship. And I ask you this, and I ask our our wonderful listeners this at a very frigid, cold weekend in the city of Chicago, what would you rather have as a fan? A championship, let’s say, in 2026 followed by no postseasons, no postseason appearances through 2032, or would you rather be in the mix almost in the playoffs every year? Let’s say you’re in the playoffs 26 through 3031, but you never make a World Series. You have one CS appearance, but you’re you’re pretty good every year, but you never win a title. Which would you rather have? Because I seriously believe that this front office would rather have the ladder and their counter would be over the course of one of those years, you’re gonna you’re going to make a long run. I I I don’t think in baseball now, Matt, when you look at the off seasonasons, I just don’t think a lot of these teams, especially with the CBA, are trying to win World Series championships. I think they’re trying to pay bills and make sure that they’re just good enough um to be watched and to be in it. And the Cubs are no exception. Well, I I would say the former because of the uh little bit of uncertainty with the sport moving forward. Yeah, of course. And the current roster situation. Uh I I by the way, I don’t necessarily I don’t have like a big big disconnection with the in the mix conversation. In fact, I could even maybe maybe be persuaded uh for for that for that claim, for that approach. I I couldn’t. But for this year and this year only, it has to be to go big. Like any any number win projection that starts with an eight should not be in the conversation for 26. As of right now, there are nine players who are likely free agents after 26. Hap, Seiya, Shota, Tyion, Boyd, her Kelly, Ray, and now Milner. Boyd has a mutual option. Ray has a club option. Not to mention Steel and Maton are free agents after 27. So I’m over here lately, Sam, and I don’t think we’ve really talked on air too much about this, but not only should we be demanding that this is an important year for the organization, but who plays in 2027? Who’s who plays? Yeah, I think frightening to me. Yeah, I’m not as that is more of a play. That’s more of a I think a sort of a a CBA what if strategy that they’ll get guys they’ll be fine in that regard. I’m more in the camp and and even you mentioning the roster. I’m more in the camp of what is the Jed Hoyer Tom Rickettts Carter Hawkins regime? What is that? Like when when Jed first took over, we talked about a lot. And he used the phrase, by the way, many times the next great Cubs team. Do you remember that? Yeah, a little bit. You mean like towards when he got hired as president? Yeah. And going through the rebuild, hey, we’re we’re rebuilding it to find this next great Cubs team. I don’t think that’s the goal anymore. I I I don’t think they’re looking for the next great Cubs team. I think they’re just looking to be good. And last year is a great example of that. And and I think that’s why I’ve had a very cynical view of this off season because I’ve talked to people some on our show like David Kaplan who literally have confirmed that that’s what they’re trying to do. have an 87 win projection and then try and go over and so you know and they’re and to be fair to them they’re not the only team and maybe that changes because uh of the CBA and people just don’t want to chase the Dodgers but it just it just feels like right now baseball as a whole like how many teams really feel like they’re they’re actually seriously trying to win the World Series. It just it just doesn’t feel like a lot and and and there’s some randomness in it and whatnot and I get it. there’s a lot of thinness with the roster. Cubs will ultimately be fine. But I just think it’s interesting to just have that out loud conversation to to fans and think about it of like like to me I believe that if you have the resources you should be trying to win it all every year. I just believe that and I think in baseball it’s really hard because the the playoffs are random. I mean it wasn’t it was just two years ago we had the Diamondbacks and the Rangers in the World Series. Rangers won the World Series. Since then, they’ve been really quiet, right? And I think and I think they’re a really good example of Jed probably saying, “We don’t want to be that.” Yeah, maybe. Yeah. I I’ll take the championship. I I I want to try and win titles. And, you know, and and there’s there’s gray area in this. It doesn’t have to be one or the other, right? Like, it’s not like the Cubs have been dominant. They haven’t won a division championship yet. Let’s start there. Try and win a division, you know, put up a banner. And um yeah, it’s thin roster. It’s been a quiet off season so far. And I just think it’s important out loud to express the fact whether it’s ownership, whether it’s Jed combined that it just feels like the Cubs goal, you know, what is this? What is Jed Hoyer? What is the goal? What do they want to be? And I think what they want to be is um you know, pretty good every year and see what happens after that. Yeah. And and going forward every year may look different every year, every winter like for the Mets. the Mets off season this winter way different than last, right? Yeah, you’re gonna have you’re gonna have LOLs, right? It’s there’s going to be variance, but at least they we know, oh, they’re going for it, and here’s why. And and there’s going to be it just Yeah, there shouldn’t be like a a mystery mission. There’s going to be LOLs, but it just Right. Right. I think the point you’re making and I’m making is the same thing. You win 92 games in 25. You have a stud player. Obviously, you didn’t play like that in the second half, but after that, it’s like, okay, the next step like in 15 when you won 97 is now we go and and there there isn’t that that urgency or that sense about 26 and and and that’s what you’re saying. All right, let’s keep this conversation going and then also start to uh really really realize how thin the roster is right after this. This episode is brought to you by a FanDuel. NFL Sundays move fast. One big play and suddenly everything feels different. That’s what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You’re not just watching the game, you’re reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel, you can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. 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Go to lockedcubs.supcast.com or check the link in this episode description. Well, we have perhaps I mean Sam, should we just declare this now publicly like the Cubs have indirectly? They they are now operating 100% in in the the middleish range and they they’re offering no signs of leveling up. Like those days are over. Like the 2010s are over. the the last time they they even sniffed the luxury tax because the last time they went over it was by mistake, right? So the t the last time they did it like for real was was 2019 which would be seven seasons ago. Yeah. And so I just think those days are over and and maybe we should reset our own expectations in our mind. Well, I think I think the gate the the the the sport has changed so much since co and since Yes. Well, that’s true. And since the Dodgers TV deal and and I think the TV money, not to get not to get too nerded out here, but I think the TV money has become so important um in baseball. And I don’t think those days are over, you know, long term. I think a lot’s going to change a year from now at this point. It’s going to be a lot of talk about what changes, what’s the plan going to be, but but I do believe, yes, I think Tom Ricketts, Jed Hoyer, and Carter Hawkins, those three guys together are trying to build a a team that’s in a healthy spot long term that has good assets, good young players, and that is just good enough to have a chance every year to make noise like they did last year. But a lot will have to go their way. I I I don’t think being a a monster, you know, being top three, top four, top five in payroll and and just saying, “Hey, the Cubs are going all in this year.” I I just don’t see that happening from this group, at least until um 2027 when they know, you know, what things are going to look like because it’s just clear this year it’s it’s kind of a, you know, hey, we we got some good position players. We’re locked in here. We’re going to build around, get some pitchers, and and let’s see what happens. Wow. Well, and the other thing I would say about that is, well, then if TV money is such a concern, then people being in the stadium is even more critical in terms of revenue source, which the Cubs have zero issue with, right? Plus, they had extra games this year. Yeah. Plenty. So, in terms of like revenue opportunities and spending chances, they they’re not they’re not in that same group and not even close to like, for example, the teams that did have the league take over their TV rights, right? Um, so we could keep going in a circle on this. Yeah. I I I I I guess I guess the point is I guess the point is is to just kind of, you know, just do you believe teams are conceding to the Dodgers in 2026? Because they almost lost. Remember, they almost lost in the World Series. I don’t think doing that in baseball makes any sense because anything anything could happen in the playoffs. I just think I think a lot of team Here here it is. I think a lot of teams like like the Pirates, okay, or the Brewers, they have to operate at such a a shrewd efficient level to be really really good because of of their money situation. And the the Cubs don’t, but it feels like they do have a lot of restrictions. And again, I just go back to this Cap said Carter Hawkins said at a meeting, just build an 87 win team. It’s the most efficient thing to do. And then if you if you you outperform, underperform, and it’s just like so they’re not going to go after Schwarber. They’re not going to go after, you know, the these big guys because it doesn’t make sense. They’re gonna they’re going to knock on everything and that just it is what it is. And it just leads to frustration. But but I still think they’re going to make some moves. I still think they’re going to be they have to I still think no players. I think I still think they’re going to be good and exciting. But you have made the reason I want to talk about this is because you’ve made this point. Why not go all in in 2026? I don’t believe they’re they believe in that phrase, right? By by choice. Yeah. And that was my biggest takeaway from our most recent episode with Cap is that this is all their decision there. There really isn’t anything in the fine print that be like, “Oh, we need to we need to take a detour this year. Oh, we need to What were they in payroll last year? Were they 11 12th?” Yeah. Okay. And I think that’s right around where they’re probably going to be. You know, maybe that’s what that’s where it’s trending. Yeah. Uh right now they have 45 million to the first luxury tax threshold for 2026. Uh I I’m sorry. That’s not that much. That’s not that much. Yeah. Well, to do what they may want to do, which is get a starting pitcher, a bat, and fortify bench and bullpen. Yeah, it may be it may be tougher if you only have 40 45 mil. So that to me is about 35 to 38 because they’re going to want to leave room. So if you’re at 35 to 38 and let’s say you sign one of the free agent pitchers, that’s 25 right there. Well, then it makes this stat even even uh worse. Probably have to they’re probably going to have to trade for a pitcher. Well, I think that’s their preference at this point. Yeah, financially. Well, it makes this stat then even even worse. They only have 32 players on the 40man roster, which is the lowest in baseball. Yeah, it’s low. Uh, seven of the 32s, Sam, offer offer nothing at present value to the major league level. Uh, Hollowwell, Little, Neie, Roberts, Triantos, Ramirez, and Martin. Two more guys, Alcantra, and Wix are are very fringy. So, they have 23 players in the organization that you truly feel good about at present value on the major league level, which is uh frightening to me. Yeah, you’re worried about that. And I looked into this this weekend and and that’s that’s rough because they got to sign a lot of guys. Yeah, by default they don’t have anybody. But it’s it’s thin as a thin mint. and and and J if Jed Hoyer’s plan or preference is to trade for a starting pitcher, which I believe the clues last week at the winter meetings that he laid out is that’s even tougher if you don’t have any leverage because you have no players. Well, it’s as thin as me after a bad breakup. You have no players right now. You have no Oh, the Marlins. Oh, you guys want Edward Cabrera? Oh, wait. Your roster’s only at 32 player. They have no They have nothing to stand on. And I I I’m not I’m trying to speak in facts. I’m not I I am the glass half full guy, but if you’re trying to okay, trade for one starting pitcher, sign a one top bat, sign one more high leverage reliever, and sign one name bench bat, well, you’re going to be going over the tax, right? Are you even going to be able to do that? Or is it going to be Gallon, Okamoto, Stannic, and Ref Snider? Because that could happen in 45m. Say it. Say those four again. I think in 45ms M you could do that. It would just look a little different. Gallon, Okamoto, Stannic, and Ref Snider, right? And then just a bunch of FR fringe guys after that. Uhhuh. Lot of minor league signings. Yeah, that’s and that and that’s a that’s you know, it’s a nice team. They’ll they’ll compete with they’re going to be in the mix. They’ll be in the mix with the Brewers and Cincinnati. Well, the Brewers, everybody freaked out about their trade over the weekend. Do some research, right? Like, look up their their roster is loaded. They they traded uh redundant pieces for a reliever, a lefty who throws 99 to replace another reliever who throws 99 that’s going into the rotation. Who’s that? Do some research. Yeah. No, you’re talking I Who’s doing Who’s going to the rotation? Ashb, right? Yeah. I mean, at this point, anything the Brewers do raises an eyebrow. Just probably assume it’s going to be a good move for them. Yeah. Not in a bad way. Yeah. Just it’s going to probably be a good move for them. And again, they have learned how to operate like that. And it seems like the Cubs are starting to try to be better at that. But again, it’s like the analogy I made the other day. a really great heavyweight boxer at or a good one at some point. You don’t have to learn how to be that great technically if you’re gonna fight a smaller guy. Just use your market size in this regard. Just be be a heavyweight. Yeah. Use use your use your muscle. Use your gloves. Yeah. Just be a heavyweight. You don’t have to play into that game of okay, I’m going to counter punch. I’m going to win on points. They have to because they have they’re the Brewers. And no disrespect, not a lot of people care about them. But but a lot a lot of people care about the Cubs and they’re a big market. One of the biggest franchises on the planet earth. Yeah. And and they’re in all sports and they’re operating very much like the Portland Trailblazers. Let’s keep this conversation rolling. And we’re also gonna say a few things on uh greattime story by Jeff Arist over the weekend on on diehard Cubs fan and broadcaster Kevin Cougler who not coincidentally called the Bears uh blowout victory over the Browns on Sunday. Stay tuned. Today’s episode is brought to you by Game Time. The World Cup is coming back to North America for the first time since 1994 with 48 teams for the first time ever. It’s going to be massive, but let’s be honest, getting tickets is usually the hardest part. That’s why the Game Time app is clutch. Finally giving fans a real advantage when it comes to snagging seats. With Game Time, you can track price drops in real time. 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Maybe you’re studying for a final. Maybe you’re you’re making a late dinner. Maybe you’re reading, you know, doing some free some free reading. Be an intentive listener. Have it on the background. Just have it on. Yep. Okay. Maybe you’re running errands. Okay. Set up the Bluetooth in your car then. Okay. Turn the heat. Turn the heater on. Listen to listen uh see see the you know who who’s coming through our stream. Right now where this is trending is a record amount of listeners on the holiday party stream which is going to be absolutely outstanding. Like this graphics is seven to nine. If everybody is attending that they say they want to, we’re going to be on the air probably closer to 10. Yeah, it’s gonna be 40 degrees. So, you can I don’t know if any Cubs podcast. Yeah, it’s going to the snow might melt before Christmas, Sam. Yeah, it’s going to be Saturday. It’s going to be a warm night at Soldierfield. Uh, not many podcasts have listeners on. I I will fully admit we stole a page from radio’s book. Uh, and I could at least think of one podcast then that, you know, stole our our our page from that. But, uh, you know, we’re having callers on. We’re we’re trying to put listeners through. Been doing this since 2022 and, uh, very excited uh, for this. So, if Michael King signs this week, Sam, what’s your reaction going to be with another team, rather? Shoulder. He signs with another team. Yeah. Shoulder shrug. Shoulder shrug. Yeah, me too. So, I mean, I’m I’m I’m sure I think the market’s definitely moving. What What is I You know, I’m curious to see what he gets. Yeah. How many years especially? Yeah, I like him. I think he’s really good. Yeah. But doesn’t I do too. Doesn’t it sound like it’s kind of moving away from us or Yes, it does. Yeah, that’s what I was reading as well. I tried I tried I tried did some reading today as the Bears were up like 28-3. Uh, you know, so I did some reading. Um, weird year in the NFL, man. Weird year. Oh, it’s Do you think it’s wide open? Yeah. I mean, I I do, too. Patrick Mahomes in his prime. See if the Rams lose today. Not making the playoffs. Uh, Joe Burrow’s getting shut out. It’s It’s weird stuff. Weird stuff’s going on in the NFL. And it’s good for the Bears. So, uh, how how familiar are you or or how much do you enjoy Kevin Cougler’s work? He’s a broadcaster on Fox and BTN. Yeah. Um, I think he’s really good. I I I’ve always been a fan. Um, I his his voice to me I listen I I picture Illinois games a lot. U, but University of who just had an absolutely embarrassing defeat on Saturday. um at the buzzer. Oh, yeah. To Nebraska. Actually, it wasn’t embarrassing. Nebraska’s really good. But yeah, Cougar’s really good. He seems like like the perfect guy. I mean, you you mentioned him uh when when Marqueis stuff started, if I remember, like pretty quickly after Casper was gone. Uh yeah, I mentioned him in real time. Yeah, that’s Yeah, he seems good. I didn’t get a chance to read the article by by Jeff Agress, but I saw it on uh Twitter and then I saw I think Cougler like reposted it and he he called a great game today and uh Yeah. Yeah. I think he’s a good I think I think there’s I think there’s a surplus right now of really good broadcasters in the sport. You know, Fox is loaded. Uh oh my gosh, they’re they have an embarrassment of riches right now. If I remember corre if I I when I was just coming to do the show, I think Benetti’s doing some NFL games. Is that right? Yeah. So, you have Benetti, Amin, uh Cougler, Burkhart, um uh I’m missing I’m missing Joe Davis. Joe Davis is the I mean that’s a huge that’s a massive big five right there. I know. I know. So, um, yeah, you know, and at the time of when Marquee was hiring for that job in late 20, late of 2020, Cougler hadn’t done much baseball, but shoot, at that point, he was at the top of his game in football and basketball. Uh, diehard Cubs fan, grew up in Nebraska, watching games on GN, attended game four of the 16 World Series. Yeah, really nice feature profile story on him in the Sun Times last week by uh Jeff Aress and uh Cougler did reveal him the story. Uh he did talk to Marquee in late 2020, but it was only in the exploratory stage because uh at that point he already knew uh Boog was in the mix. Um but he did offer his services even in a small like a for a a couple games or as a sub. Um, you know, maybe maybe he could do that one day. Uh, but Kevin Cougler, another product of the WGN generation in Nebraska. I think he’s overqualified for that, right? Is a sub. Yeah. Yeah, I think he’s overqualified to sub. All right. Uh, that’s going to be it for the show. And, uh, I think that’s below his pay grade. Yes, maybe so. Maybe so. And I think since he’s been doing MLB on Fox every now. We know Boog is back for 26, but do we know anything beyond that? No, he’s only signed through 26. Yeah. So, I think I I the channel might not even be around after next year. It feels like there’s going to be a major landscape change after after next year, doesn’t it? Well, yeah. I would hope there’s major landscaping changes. Sure. All right. Thank you for making Locked on Cubs your first listen of the day. For those of you on video, we’re about to send you to the 247 National Lockdown Podcast YouTube channel. And on audio, make sure your second listen is locked on MLB. He’s Sam Over. I’m Matt Cozy. This is Locked On Cubs.

Matt and Sam contemplate what the goals are for the 2026 Cubs. Plus: The 40-man roster is only at 32 players, Kevin Kugler should have been hired by Marquee, and more.

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