The end of the season for the Chicago Cubs means they now have to work through some tough roster decisions.
They surely would’ve liked to still be playing, but it all ended on Wednesday night in San Diego as the Padres completed the quick two-game sweep of the NL Wild Card Series.
That brings about the harsh reality that the Cubs’ roster could look a decent amount different next season.
In particular, that includes the outfield, where a couple of veteran stalwarts are now heading for free agency.
There are no guarantees that Ian Happ or Seiya Suzuki play another game in a Cubs uniform.
Seiya Suzuki Contract
Suzuki is set to be a free agent now, which is a bit of a confusing point according to Baseball Reference, which lists him still having another year with the Cubs.
But the contract website Spotrac confirms that Suzuki is indeed heading for free agency.
Suzuki had signed a five-year, $85 million deal when he came over from Japan in 2022, and he just completed the fifth and final season of the contract.
The Cubs paid Suzuki $19 million each of the past two seasons after the salary bounced around a bit in the first three years of the agreement.
It’s not clear whether the 32-year old Suzuki could get close to that kind of money on his next contract. His asking price could determine what the Cubs and other teams decide to do from here.
Suzuki has played in 675 games with the Cubs and hit 142 doubles, 18 triples and 113 home runs while batting .269 with an .823 OPS in a Chicago uniform. He certainly lived up to the hopes for him from when he first arrived to join the Cubs.
Now, though, he may have to pursue a different home in MLB, at least when the potential lockout of the offseason gets out of the way and allows players to negotiate contracts and sign new deals.
Ian Happ Contract
Nothing has been decided about Happ’s future yet, at least not publicly, but with the Cubs’ season over, it’s fair to officially wonder about it.
Happ had an emotional quote before the final home regular season game at Wrigley Field, and that’s what started speculation that he could end up going elsewhere in the offseason.
“This is the last controllable day here,” Happ said last week, via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “I’ll take it in. It’s crazy. 10 years of memories. There will be emotions. I want to savor it. There’s no fanbase more supportive of its players.”
Cubs Reach Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ Decision Point