The Chicago Cubs were supposed to establish their dominance in the National League Central in 2024. But that never came close to fruition.
After a 17-9 start, the Cubs cratered. They went on a huge skid through most of the summer and consistently got bullied by their rivals to the north, the Milwaukee Brewers. Even a six-game win streak this week couldn't pull them back within single digits of the Brew Crew.
It isn't as though the Cubs are totally out of the race, as they sit 3 1/2 games back of the Atlanta Braves entering play on Tuesday, with 24 games left to play. But this season has been a resounding disappointment most of the way, and many are calling for change.
For one Cubs insider, that starts with the team's finances. Sadahev Sharma of The Athletic said on Foul Territory Thursday that the Cubs' spending on payroll hasn't matched up to what he believes the expectations should be.
"Do they act like fans want them to, or anyone should expect the Chicago Cubs to financially?" Sharma said. "I think they should be a top-five payroll consistently... (owner) Tom Ricketts isn't going to have them be a consistent top-five, top-three payroll. It's just not what he's gonna do."
The Cubs are 10th in total tax payroll this season, with $235.1 million on the books, per Spotrac. That puts them over $25 million outside the top five, and only four slots ahead of the closest NL Central team behind them, the St. Louis Cardinals.
The Cubs have a golden opportunity to flex their muscles in free agency with 25-year-old superstar Juan Soto, but no one seems to think they will be serious players. ESPN's Jeff Passan said last week that the Cubs "could afford" Soto, but that he expected they wouldn't do so.
So where does that leave Chicago in the free-agent market? Will they make a power play for Corbin Burnes or Max Fried? Could they find added power from a bat like Teoscar Hernandez? And oh, by the way, is Cody Bellinger opting in or out?
Ultimately, it's on the players to perform, but it wouldn't hurt to see a little more spending. This is, after all, the Chicago Cubs, one of baseball's most historic franchises in its third-largest media market.
If they want to be the big brothers of the NL Central, perhaps the Cubs should start spending like it.
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