The Chicago Cubs have had a shaky first half of the season, currently holding a 39-45 record. As the Cubs enter the MLB trade deadline, President Jed Hoyer has a few ideas in the direction Chicago will go.

Hoyer didn't outwardly say the Cubs would be buyers or sellers at the deadline. However, he outlined exactly what Chicago is looking for and where the team needs to make adjustments, via Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic.

“What is every team going to be looking for all the time? Pitching,” Hoyer said. “It's hard to find pitching. It isn't as durable as it once was – it's harder to find, we go through more pitchers. Do we need more power bats? Yes. Is there every a point where you feel like you have enough pitching? Never.”

Hoyer went on to say that Chicago has struggled to come out victorious in 50-50 ball games. He cautions that the Cubs haven't done enough in ‘high-leverage' hitting and pitching situations. Into the 2023 MLB trade deadline and beyond, Hoyer will scour the market for ways to help the Cubs when the moment is most crucial.

Despite their record, the Cubs aren't going to call it a season. In fact, Hoyer noted Chicago was discussing being buyers before their recent skid. The team is seven games out of first place in the NL Central. However, the Central has seen a lot of parity with numerous different teams holding the top spot. Perhaps the Cubs think they could make a second half playoff push.

But before they go on any postseason run, Jed Hoyer knows there needs to be adjustments. He'll enter the trade deadline looking to refine Chicago's roster and fill any leaks that have led to their downfall.