After losing seasons in both 2021 and 2022, the Cubs finished 83-79 this year, representing some progre s. Unfortunately for Wrigleyville, that record left the team one game behind the Diamondbacks for the last NL wild card slot, as a 5-12 slide in the Cubs Gustav Lindstrom Jersey last 17 games quickly muddied what seemed like a clear path to the playoffs a few weeks ago. As such, team chairman Tom Ricketts was measured in his praise when speaking with reporters (including and ) today. While there was a lot of excitement and the organizational health is as strong as its been in a long, long time , Ricketts also said I dont think that we want to start calling seasons we dont make the playoffs good seasons. Thats a consolation prize and we dont play for consolation prizes . Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer manager a public vote of confidence, seemingly confirming that Ro s would return for 2024 (the final guaranteed year of the skippers contract). The odds of Ro s continuing with the team grew even stronger today when Ricketts also credited the managers work. I think Ro sy did a great job. He creates a great clubhouse culture, the players love playing for him , Ricketts said. He keeps a steady, balanced approach game in and game out, that you need over the course of 162 games . Specifically citing the full-season aspect in a year when the Cubs started with a 26-36 record, Ricketts noted that when the team got down, way below .500 and it looked like the season was over, he didnt let it go. He got the guys back and playing hard. We got to here. He was a big part of that . Another Wrigleyville staple also return in 2024, as Ricketts said at this point I would see [ ] coming back , though the chairman said Hoyer would ultimately be making the decision. Chicago holds a $16MM club option ($1.5MM buyout) on Hendricks for next season, and it seemed like Hendricks was on the decline after down years in both 2021 and 2022. However, the veteran righty from an injury-shortened 2022 to post a 3.74 ERA over 137 innings this year, increasingly his chances of getting that option exercised. Even if doesnt opt out of the final year of his contract, retaining Hendricks might still make sense to bolster the rotation depth. The rest of Chicagos payroll picture will naturally factor into the $14.5MM decision on Hendricks. Ricketts again stated that Hoyer is calling the shots on player personnel, but with an Opening Day payroll of roughly $184.2MM last March, Ricketts said I think well stay at those levels for 2024, and well see where that shakes out in terms of whether or not the Cubs would be willing to boost spending closing to the $237MM luxury tax line. The Cubs rebuilding efforts of the previous two seasons helped add a lot of younger talent into the system, which Ricketts cited as another (and perhaps wiser) method of improving the Major League roster. Weve got a lot of good young players and hopefully some will be ready to go next year so we can bring homegrown talent to supplement the guys we have out there , Ricketts said. Thats the ultimate way you maintain consistency and try to stay in the playoff hunt for years to comeThe key to consistency is to not build a one-year super team, but to try to get to the playoffs as often as po sible. You do that by finding guys that you like, giving them extensions, solidifying your core and then trying to supplement them with guys from your system and the occasional free agent. Thats going to be our strategy going forward . It isnt as if Ricketts and Hoyer have shied away from larger investments, such as signing , , or , or in locking up and through 2026 on contract extensions. However, should Stroman opt out and leave in free agency, that is automatically two big holes that need to be addre sed, in addition to the Cubs other roster needs. At the very least, Ricketts comment seemingly indicates that the Cubs will make a measured effort at best to re-sign Bellinger, who figures to land one of the winters biggest contracts. It could be that the front office and ownership are willing to spend a bit bigger now that the Cubs have gotten over the .500 hump and back into playoff contention, though it may take a particular target (i.e. Swanson last winter) to really move the organization to make a splash. Joshua Roy Jersey