So much for Carlos Rodón becoming a Cub this winter.
Cubs president Jed Hoyer wouldn’t talk specifically about free agent targets when he met the media Monday for his annual end-of-season press conference.
But when asked about the importance of adding a frontline starting pitcher, his answer was as revealing as as his thoughts on “intelligent spending” earlier in the hourlong session.
How important is it to add a top-of-the-rotation starter?
“I think it’s important that we continue to add quality innings,” Hoyer said after a brief pause to clear his throat, pushing back on defining “top of the rotation.”
“We’re actively looking for quality innings, pitchers we feel like we can work with and potentially make better,” he said.
That would all but eliminate Giants free agent Rodón, a top-of-the-rotation left-hander who has pitched at the top of his game for the White Sox and Giants the last two years during successive All-Star seasons.
MLB
And cross off Jacob deGrom and Justin Verlander while you’re at it.
RELATED: Carlos Rodón: The answer to the Cubs' rebuild question
“We’re far from done when it comes to building a pitching staff,” Hoyer said. “Especially in the bullpen we know we have holes to fill. But I feel good about the number of arms we have, and I think some of those guys will continue to take a step forward.”
Among those is lefty Justin Steele, who established himself as a core starter heading into next year, with a 0.98 ERA in seven second-half starts — contributing to a third-in-MLB, second-half rotation ERA of 2.89.
Whether promising rookie Hayden Wesneski and/or young righty Keegan Thompson join him and veteran Marcus Stroman in the opening rotation next year, the Cubs at this point can’t even be sure of the status of three-time Opening Day starter Kyle Hendricks.
Hendricks didn’t pitch after June because of a capsular tear in his shoulder and hasn’t begun playing catch yet as he continues to strengthen the shoulder, with optimism he’ll be ready for a usual offseason throwing program in time to open the season at full strength.
“As we view it, he didn’t pitch at the end of the season,” Hoyer said. “I have all the confidence in the world that he’ll do everything he can to be the pitcher he has been for us since 2014.
“But obviously there is a level of uncertainty with anyone that misses the second half of the season.”
It just doesn’t mean that’s going to compel the Cubs to go especially big for frontline pitching this winter as Hoyer
“We have to keep one eye on the future as we think through this,” Hoyer said repeatedly Monday, a day last year’s mantra of “intelligent spending” was brought up to him.
“To me intelligent spending involves making decisions that make sense for the 2023 season but also aren’t going to hinder what we’re trying to build,” he said. “The nature of baseball contracts is challenging that way.”
So much for an “aggressive” winter.
So much for Carlos Rodón.