The Chicago Cubs are officially out of the playoffs, and that could also mean that one notable player has played in his final game for them.
Chicago is not expected to get into a bidding war for their veteran outfielder Seiya Suzuki, Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic reported Thursday. The report adds that Suzuki should be a “hot commodity” this winter but that the Cubs need to focus on their pitching corps instead.
Suzuki, 32, has never played for another MLB team but the Cubs. He first joined them from Japan in 2022 and had become a standout player over his five seasons in Chicago.
The righty-hitting Suzuki had his best year as a power hitter in 2025, clubbing 32 home runs and 103 RBIs. Then in 2026, Suzuki turned in his best all-around MLB season, batting .270 with 26 home runs, 86 RBIs, and a career-high 96 runs scored.
But Suzuki is set to hit free agency in the offseason, and the Cubs already have big money invested in several other hitters such as Alex Bregman, Dansby Swanson, and Nico Hoerner. Presumptive NL MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong will also be getting significantly more expensive in the coming years thanks to his pre-arbitration extension with the team.
Suzuki brought the vibes in Chicago from the very start of his MLB career and has become a major fan favorite at this point. But with the Cubs’ weak pitching on full display during their NL Wild Card series sweep at the hands of the San Diego Padres, it looks like they will be allocating their funds elsewhere this winter.
