The Chicago Cubs are a good, maybe even a great team, but the most frustrating thing is … things could be even better. Team president Jed Hoyer, fresh off a recent contract extension, did precious little at the trade deadline. One of his few additions, starter Michael Soroka, is already on the IL. Worse yet, the Cubs are entering dangerous territory with All-Star centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Only in his second full season, PCA is under contract through 2030. The Cubs don’t need to worry about him going anywhere any time soon. That said, it’s never too early to think about the future and secure your best asset.

The Boston Red Sox just signed Roman Anthony, MLB’s No. 1 prospect when the season began, to an eight-year, $130 million contract, worth up to $230 million with escalators. He has been electric. He is the future of Red Sox baseball, not unlike PCA in Chicago. With Kyle Tucker’s future beyond this season in serious doubt, it’s hard to overstate how essential Crow-Armstrong is to the North Side. So why hasn’t he extended his contract, too?

The Cubs are a lucrative organization in a massive market. We know this team isn’t lacking for money — just a willingness to spend it on the team, rather than lining ownership’s pockets. PCA probably deserves a more robust contract than Anthony’s at this point, but only because Chicago waited this long. The more time that passes without an extension, the higher PCA’s price tag will rise.

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Cubs need to follow in Red Sox’ footsteps with Pete Crow-Armstrong extension

While Crow-Armstrong has expressed a willingness to extend his contract with Chicago, the Cubs’ policy is to avoid in-season negotiations. It’s a strategy that could backfire, as banking on the future is never guaranteed. There’s an old adage that applies perfectly to this situation: Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today.

“Not talking during the season, to me, that’s a player-focused thing,” Hoyer told The Athletic in May. “I’m not playing. I’ve got time to negotiate if they want.”

Maybe the Cubs and PCA hammer out a new deal this winter and the fan base can rejoice. But given how Chicago tends to operate — and understanding that the Cubs will probably spend months wrapped up in Kyle Tucker’s free agency — it’s fair to be more than a little skeptical. If PCA wants $300 million-plus, which he’d clear easily on the open market, the Cubs are likely to balk.

Cubs risk letting Pete Crow-Armstrong’s demands exceed their “resources”

The Cubs aren’t actually short on resources, but Jed Hoyer and Craig Counsell both gave long-winded spiels on “risk” after a quiet deadline. PCA is in the NL MVP race right now. The massively talented 23-year-old leads MLB outfielders in Outs Above Average, a prime defensive metric, and he’s up to 27 home runs and 29 stolen bases on the season with an .848 OPS. He’s third on the Cubs and 22nd in MLB with a 133 wRC+ — and Crow-Armstrong is only scratching the surface of his potential.

Chicago has its foundation for the next decade-plus on the roster already. Why risk messing up what could be a beautiful career-long partnership? It’s time for Hoyer to wake up and hammer out an extension, sooner than later. The longer this drags out, the more PCA can — and will — demand, and the less likely it becomes that Chicago will concede to his asks.