Based on expectations coming into the year, the Chicago Cubs drastically underperformed.
The NL Central seemed to be there for the taking, especially since the Cubs poached manager Craig Counsell from their division rival Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals haven't had the same shine to them they've had in previous decades.
After finishing one game shy of making the playoffs in 2023, this roster looked good enough on paper for them to compete for a division title and get into the postseason.
That projection turned out to be misguided.
Over the course of the campaign, it became abundantly clear this roster has plenty of holes on it that Chicago needs to address this winter, namely when it comes to their catcher position and their bullpen.
There is real pressure on president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer to get the Cubs into the playoffs during the last year of his contract, creating the possibility that he could become aggressive during the offseason to improve his team.
When looking at scenarios that can take place, Chicago actually finds themselves in a good spot.
If Cody Bellinger opts into his contract for 2025, that will keep a power hitter and versatile defender in the mix. Their starting rotation is a strength of this team, and after multiple players suffered injuries, the positive variance on that front could make them even stronger.
But it's their elite farm system that is the ultimate gamechanger for the Cubs.
While Hoyer hasn't shown a willingness to deal some of his star prospects in the past, there is a logjam at multiple positions that could cause him to package some youngsters together so they can improve their areas of need.
Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara are outfield prospects who could have a hard time getting on the field at the Major League level based on Bellinger potentially returning, and Pete Crow-Armstrong, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki all being under contract.
After acquiring Isaac Paredes at the deadline, that also makes it difficult for infielders Matt Shaw and James Triantos to get immediate playing time.
It seems like some of those players could be candidates to get shipped out of town.
However, Patrick Mooney of The Athletic is wondering if Chicago might look to trade one of their established players to get something back in return.
"If Matt Shaw is almost ready, would it make sense to trade Gold Glove second baseman Nico Hoerner?" he wrote.
That idea isn't something new.
Nico Hoerner was floated as someone they could look to move ahead of this past trade deadline if they were willing to waive the white flag like they have done in the past when they were seemingly out of the playoff picture.
Teams around the league seem to have interest in the elite defender who has produced a defensive bWAR of 4.8 in the past three years when he became a full-time player.
For the Cubs, though, he hasn't quite produced on the offensive end like they imagined.
While he's manned second base at an impactful level in the field the last three seasons, he's also been barely above the league average in OPS+ and wRC+ when his best output in those advanced stats came in 2022 with figures of 105 and 108 respectively.
Chicago could look to take a chance on the upside of either Shaw or Triantos and move Hoerner to improve the roster.
That would come with risks, but after finishing with the same record in back-to-back years, it's clear the Cubs need to look at all options before they enter the 2025 season.
