Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is set to have a busy offseason. Thanks to a host of free agents, Chicago could soon lose several key players from their roster. This lengthy list includes starting pitchers Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, and Clay Holmes. However, star outfielders Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ are also out of contracts with the Cubs.
In his latest column, The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked his top Major League Baseball free agents and projected their salaries. Suzuki, Holmes, and Happ were all included in his top 10. The latter outfielder’s contract prediction from the veteran reporter was particularly interesting. According to Law, the veteran Cubs star should receive a $100 million offer this winter.
“I expect a return to his 2023-25 levels of production, where he hit .240-250 with above-average OBPs and 20-25 homers a year, along with solid-average defense in left,” Law said of Happ. “That’s a $25 million a year player, and I’d take the risk on going to four years, even with the disappointing production in 2026.”
As the reporter alludes to, Happ is coming off a relatively disappointing season with the Chicago Cubs. In fact, the slugger recently posted his lowest batting average and OPS during his MLB career. Despite this, the star was a Gold Glove nominee in left field (he ultimately lost out to Jackson Chourio). The veteran has spent his entire career with Chicago after being a first-round draft pick in 2015.
Chicago Cubs Unlikely to Give Ian Happ a Raise This Winter
If Law’s contract projection for Happ is accurate, it would be a solid pay raise for the outfielder. He recently finished off a three-year, $61 million extension with the Chicago Cubs. This represented an annual salary of just under $21 million. Hoyer and Co. seem fairly unlikely to reward the former four-time Gold Glove winner with an increased contract as he finished off a disappointing campaign.
Not only this, but the Cubs are expected to use much of their available funds to strengthen their pitching this winter. It was recently revealed that because the current free agent group is thin, particularly amongst hitters, players like Happ and Suzuki could receive inflated contracts. As a result, Chicago is more likely to focus on pitchers, potentially even Tarik Skubal.
The Chicago Cubs have even already been linked with Happ’s replacement. Cleveland Guardians star Steven Kwan was recently named as a potential trade target for Hoyer. Kwan outperformed the Cubs slugger in several categories in 2026 and is only scheduled to earn around $10 million next season.
Chicago Could Promote Youngster if Trade Fails
Because this free agent class is underwhelming, the Chicago Cubs could look internally for a Happ replacement. This is, of course, assuming Hoyer does not land Kwan in the coming months. Pedro Ramírez was previously linked with a permanent move to the outfield. The versatile slugger was typically deployed in the infield in 2026, but does have some experience in the outfield.
If Happ does leave Chicago, he will have plenty of suitors. The Athletic’s Jim Bowden named the Cincinnati Reds as a potential fit for the veteran. The Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles have been linked to the Cubs star as well.
Cubs Veteran Expected to Earn $100 Million Contract Offer