Cubs must be aggressive at winter meetings as division threatens to improve

Chicago Cubs new baseball team manager Craig Counsell speaks as president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer looks on during a press conference in Chicago, Monday, Nov. 13, 2023. (AP Photos)

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made a glowing prediction about the National League Central at the GM meetings last month. 

“You’ve really got five teams and have a lot of young talent,” Hoyer said. “I know the last few years, we haven’t been quite as talented as the East and the West in the National League, but I would expect that that’s going to shift.”