The Chicago Cubs will have a hard time re-signing one of their best players this winter. After exiting the recent playoffs prematurely, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is set to have a busy offseason. Chicago has several pending free agents to worry about, including Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Ian Happ, and Seiya Suzuki. Of the bunch, Suzuki is the team’s most prominent player.
The Japanese outfielder recently finished off a five-year, $85 million contract with the Cubs. While Hoyer would love to bring him back, Chicago could very well be priced out of a deal. Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter is now predicting that Suzuki will receive a three-year, $66 million offer soon. Whether this proposal is from the Cubs or not remains to be seen.
According to the reporter, the prediction aligns with what Teoscar Hernández received from the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025. “A three-year, $66 million deal would match the contract the Dodgers gave corner outfield slugger Teoscar Hernández when he was the same age, though his status as arguably the No. 2 bat on the market could get him a fourth year,” writes Reuter.
If the reporter’s predictions are correct, Suzuki will receive the ninth-largest contract in free agency this winter. The $22 million annual salary would also be a slight pay raise for the Chicago Cubs slugger. The star recently slashed .270/.368/.473 in 2026. His 5.1 WAR was third-best on the team and tied for 19th among all Major League Baseball hitters on the season.
Chicago Cubs do not Want to get Into a Bidding war for Seiya Suzuki
While a three-year, $66 million contract for a player of Suzuki’s calibre is not necessarily a massive gamble, the Chicago Cubs may not want to set aside so much money for the outfielder. In fact, The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma recently revealed that Hoyer will focus on spending significant funds on pitching. If true, it appears as if the star could very well be leaving the Windy City.
“The belief is that much of Chicago’s investments, either prospect capital or actual money, will go toward pitching,” claimed Sharma. “In a weak free-agent class for position players, Suzuki might quickly get priced out of the Cubs’ plans.”
Getting into a bidding war for Suzuki would obviously not be an ideal situation for the Chicago Cubs. Several teams, including the Toronto Blue Jays, have already been linked to the Japanese outfielder. While Chicago desperately needs pitching, Toronto is expected to revamp its lineup after an anemic showing at the plate in 2026.
Chicago Expected to Target Cheaper Outfield Options
Assuming Suzuki signs elsewhere, the Chicago Cubs will have to find a suitable replacement. Happ is also not expected to return to the North Side either. As a result, Hoyer will look to bring in more economical options at the corner outfield positions. Cleveland Guardians veteran Steven Kwan was recently linked with a move to Chicago. The All-Star is projected to earn around $10 million in 2027.
The Cubs could deploy versatile slugger Pedro Ramirez in the outfield as well. Hoyer and Co. are known to be extremely high on the rookie. Ramirez played four different positions for Chicago in 2026, including left field.
Cubs Slugger Projected to Receive $66 Million Contract Offer