The Chicago Cubs were quickly bounced from the MLB playoffs this week, as the San Diego Padres handled business in the NL Wild Card round (at their home ballpark).
So, for the Cubs, the offseason is now, and president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has several important decisions to make with star players.
The two biggest free agent decisions the Cubs face are in regard to Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ (two longtime Cubs), but another minute decision will be whether the Cubs want to retain outfielder Michael Conforto, who is also a free agent.
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Cubs Face Big Michael Conforto Free Agency Decision
The Chicago Cubs’ front office will have to decide if they want to retain outfielder Michael Conforto or not.
In a recent piece for FanSided.com, writer Zachary Rotman names Conforto as a player who ‘won’t be back’ with the Chicago Cubs next season:
“While Conforto was a pleasant surprise, this was his best offensive season since the shortened 2020 campaign. Relying on him to repeat his success doesn’t sound like the best idea, and the fact that he doesn’t do much against lefties and isn’t any good in the field makes him a complicated player to roster. If he’d accept a cheap one-year deal as a bench piece against righties, it’s something to consider, but the Cubs should probably just let him go.”
Michael Conforto was once an All-Star (back in 2017), and with the Cubs in 2026, he put together a decent season at the plate.
Across 113 games played with the Cubs this season, he batted .240 with 15 home runs, 45 RBI, and an OPS+ of 119.
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Michael Conforto Is An Accomplished MLB Player
After a terrible season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025, Michael Conforto proved his worth at the plate once again in 2026 with the Cubs.
Conforto has played 1263 games in his 11-year MLB career, and he’s a lifetime .245 hitter with 194 home runs, 601 RBI, and a career OPS+ of 116.
His best seasons came with the New York Mets from 2015 to 2021.
Michael Conforto should be in line for a one-year contract this offseason, but it’s just unlikely to come with the Chicago Cubs organization.
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