It was the first question asked to Jed Hoyer in his 49-minute end-of-season press conference.
And it’s a fair one to ask — because it’s one with several possible answers.
Was the 2025 Cubs season a success?
We pondered that question ourselves, but first let’s hear Hoyer’s answer:
“When I think back on 2025 as I get away from it, I think my biggest emotion will be pride,” the Cubs president of baseball operations said. “I’m really proud of his team. From Day 1 they were really consistent. The effort of the players was amazingly consistent. The way they treated each other was really consistent.
“I thought our coaching staff was remarkable all year, not just in preparing our guys, but also just finding edges all the time — constantly being hungry to find edges to beat our opponents. I thought this group connected incredibly well with the fanbase from Day 1, not just in the postseason — which was amazing to be here — but also all season. I think the crowds were great in this because this group and the fanbase really connected.
“I’m proud of the organization. We have a real foundation to keep building from. Obviously, I’m disappointed now. It’d be impossible to not have disappointment from falling short of the ultimate goal. But I am really proud of this group and proud of our season.”
[WATCH: Jed Hoyer’s full end-of-season press conference on the Marquee Sports Network App]
Hoyer didn’t come right out and answer the question directly, but we will attempt to.
Tony Andracki — Yes…with an asterisk
Was this Cubs season a success?
If I was presented with the full season results before the Cubs took on the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Tokyo Series, I would have said “yes, it was a successful season.”
And I stand by that now, but how the season played out — and ended — gives me a bit of pause.
Before the season, Cubs fans would have taken this in a heartbeat:
–92 wins
–Sixth-best record in MLB
–Third-best run differential in MLB
–Made the playoffs
–Secured homefield advantage for the NL Wild Card Series
–Won a playoff series
Even the NLDS — a series in which the Cubs ultimately lost — could be construed as a success because the Cubs battled back from the brink and forced the Milwaukee Brewers into a winner-take-all Game 5.
Obviously, the season did not end with the Cubs hoisting the World Series trophy for the second time in the past decade. By that mark, it was not a success.
But if the only measure of success is a championship, then 29 MLB teams each year have “unsuccessful” seasons. And I just think that’s not the way to look at things. It’s more nuanced than that.
The Cubs made the playoffs for the first time since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. They won a playoff series for the first time since 2017.
They brought playoff baseball back to Wrigley Field for five games.
That’s meaningful.
Especially with the environment we witnessed at The Friendly Confines during those five games. It was truly special. The fans were incredible and deserve so much credit for how they helped provide energy to the Cubs — and make it a difficult place for the Cubs’ opponents to play.
“It leaves you wanting more … it makes you want to work that much harder this winter, it makes you want get in earlier, makes you want to make that much better decisions.”
Jed Hoyer says the Wrigley postseason crowds were intoxicating. pic.twitter.com/zeeoifsIDM
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) October 15, 2025
To mean, that’s all successful.
And there were wins all over the roster that might portend to the “sustained success” Hoyer and his front office are striving for.
Pete Crow-Armstrong developed into a star and a potential superstar. Cade Horton looks like an ace or at least a frontline starter. Matt Shaw‘s strong second half provides optimism for his 2026 season and beyond. Daniel Palencia enjoyed a breakout in the bullpen. Moisés Ballesteros and Owen Caissie showed flashes as well during their rookie campaigns.
The core of the roster remains strong.
In 2025, the Cubs went from a team that had not made the playoffs in a half-decade to a group that looks like it’s set up to make back-to-back postseason runs.
Now for the “asterisk” part of my answer.
The Cubs lost to the Brewers. Twice.
In the division race, finishing five games behind Milwaukee. And in the NLDS, dropping the final game at American Family Field.
Ultimately the 2025 Cubs were good — but not quite good enough.
Andy Martinez – not a success, but not a failure, either.
The Cubs made one of the splashes of the offseason last December, when they made a blockbuster deal to acquire Kyle Tucker, one of the premier hitters in baseball, from the Houston Astros.
It mirrored the move the New York Yankees had done the prior offseason in acquiring another player in his walk year, Juan Soto. The Yankees made the move trying to win a World Series, knowing it might be his only season in the Bronx.
The Cubs acquired Tucker hoping he’d push them into the playoffs and beyond.
“Our goal is to get to the World Series and win,” Tucker said at the beginning of spring training. “I don’t see a whole lot of point in showing up just to come out and play some games and go home at the end of the day. You want to come up, show up and win.”
The Cubs, obviously, didn’t do that. They finished nine wins shy of that and that, coupled with the fact that they still finished second in the NL Central to Milwaukee meant 2025 had a bit of a sour finish.
Would a win in the NLDS over those Brewers wiped away some of that bitter taste of losing the division? Of course. But the Cubs are still second-best in their division and head into an uncertain winter surrounding Tucker.
That doesn’t mean the season was a wash, though.
The Cubs desperately wanted to return to the playoffs after back-to-back 83-win seasons and not being in the postseason in a full season since 2018. They did that and that aspect is a success. Ultimately, any scenario that didn’t end with the Cubs players hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy would have an empty feeling.
They had lofty goals and a torrid first half only added gasoline to that fire. That makes the ending to 2025 a bit of a disappointment, even if most of the season was a success.
Tony Andracki
That’s all fair, Andy. I just don’t subscribe to the mindset that only teams who win the World Series are “successful.”
To me, it’s simple: You make the playoffs, it’s a successful season. Determining how successful is totally fair. Which is where we clearly agree.
The 2025 campaign ended in disappointment for the Cubs — as it has (and will) for 29 other teams around the game.
But they made the playoffs, won a postseason series and raised the expectations around the franchise. That’s a good year.