WATCH: Jed Hoyer on reaction to Alex Bregman deal |
Tony Crumpton
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- Friday, February 14 2025
Chicago Cubs President of Operations Jed Hoyer spoke to the media about the move of Alex Bregman to the Red Sox, evaluating free agency as a whole, expectations for 2025 and more.
“Obviously, disappointed. He’s a great player -- was a great fit,” Hoyer said about Bregman. “It's free agency. Ultimately, they got a deal in structure and amount that we couldn't match, but that's just the nature of it. But I'm thankful that I was able to pursue it. It was a really good opportunity. Now, we move forward.” The Cubs still have top prospect Matt Shaw at the hot corner. “Matt’s passed a lot of tests,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said recently. “He’s a talented young player. Yeah, I think Matt’s got a shot at it -- there’s no question about it. He’s squarely in the mix and he is going to get the first shot at it. But, it’s still a competition, too. And it’s [about] development.” Watch the interview below: Video summary/cliff-notes: (00:02) Jed Hoyer expresses disappointment over not landing Alex Bregman but acknowledges the Cubs made a strong effort. (00:40) The Cubs were willing to push their budget but couldn't match the structure and amount of the final deal. (01:13) Hoyer credits the Red Sox for being aggressive in acquiring Bregman and acknowledges free agency favors the highest bidder. (01:44) The Cubs have avoided deferred money in contracts and did not consider adding extra years to make the deal work. (02:20) Hoyer discusses last year’s budget flexibility with Cody Bellinger, indicating this was a special exception to pursue Bregman. (03:16) Bregman signing elsewhere was unexpected, but the Cubs were opportunistic once the possibility emerged. (03:50) Numerous conversations and memos were exchanged within the organization to justify the financial stretch. (04:18) The Cubs are likely done making major financial moves but remain open to minor additions if needed. (04:45) Hoyer believes the current roster is mostly set heading into the season. (05:15) He maintains the Cubs made the best offer they could within their financial structure but acknowledges it wasn’t enough.
