The Chicago Cubs are primarily expected to be focused on adding starting pitching this offseason. That is more than understandable given the fact that pretty much all of their pitchers in the starting rotation at the end of the 2026 season are now free agents. Yet, one name they may seek to keep around on the position player side is power-hitting outfielder Seiya Suzuki. One expert thinks they may be able to get a bit of a discount.
Keith Law of The Athletic recently ranked his top-40 MLB free agents and he has Suzuki as the No. 4 free agent on the market. He lauds him for his consistency and the fact that improved defensively in 2026, but finishes with a bit of a warning: “I’d be inclined to come in under $30 million a year because of his age and the warning signs in his hard-hit rates.”
Law thinks the 32-year-old Suzuki could get a five-year deal potentially, so if he does get a deal in that range maybe he would be more affordable for the Cubs. The question is whether they will make bringing Suzuki back a priority when pitching seems to be the main point of emphasis for Chicago.
For what it is worth, MLB Trade Rumors predicts that Suzuki will land a four-year, $105 million deal in free agency and their experts think he will probably depart the Cubs for a team in the American League with one predicting he will go to the Boston Red Sox, one thinking he will go to the Seattle Mariners, and another thinking he will go to the Toronto Blue Jays.
What would it take for the Cubs to bring Suzuki back?
Can the Cubs compete in a bidding war with one of those teams? They certainly have the money to, but again it just comes down to what they are able to do on the pitching side. Maybe they reason that the $100 million-plus they would have to commit to Suzuki would be better spent on a rotation arms.
Perhaps Chicago is hoping that Law is right and teams will be scared off by some of Suzuki’s underlying numbers. He did hit a very respectable .270/.368/.473 with 26 home runs and 86 runs batted in, but there is a chance that the market may decide he is actually only worth a three-year, $75 million deal or something like that rather than a nine-figure deal.
If that ends up being the case, then a reunion with Chicago ends up being a lot more likely. The Cubs could address their pitching need and keep one of their best hitters around which is important because if Suzuki departs then they likely have to replace both of their corner outfielders for 2027 which is something they would probably like to avoid if possible.
Seiya Suzuki’s ‘Warning Signs’ May Give Cubs A Discount on Slugger