The Chicago Cubs may be prioritizing pitching this offseason, but they haven’t forgotten about the offense-and that’s a good thing. With All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker expected to sign elsewhere, the Cubs are facing a serious void in the heart of their lineup. And while internal options like Moises Ballesteros and Owen Caissie offer promise, relying solely on young, unproven bats to replace Tucker’s production would be a risky gamble for a club trying to stay competitive in 2026.
Tucker, even in a “down year,” still posted a 136 wRC+ and a 143 OPS+ in 2025. That’s the kind of offensive consistency you don’t just replace with hope and potential.
You need a proven bat. And now, it looks like the Cubs are circling back to a familiar name: Alex Bregman.
According to reports, the Cubs are once again showing interest in Bregman, a two-time World Series champion and three-time All-Star who briefly flirted with Chicago last offseason. The Cubs reportedly offered Bregman a four-year, $115 million deal that included player opt-outs after years two and three, but he ultimately chose the Boston Red Sox. Now, after opting out of his three-year, $120 million deal with Boston, Bregman is back on the market-and the Cubs are back in the mix.
Before a quad injury sidelined him for seven weeks, Bregman was on a tear in 2025. In just 226 plate appearances, he slashed .299/.385/.553 and launched 11 home runs.
That’s the kind of production that turns a good lineup into a dangerous one. The question now is how much weight the Cubs place on his pre-injury performance versus what he looked like after returning.
Post-injury, Bregman was more pedestrian at the plate, and he’ll be entering his age-32 season in 2026. That’s not ancient by baseball standards, but it’s a factor when you’re considering a long-term investment.
Still, the Cubs clearly believe in the fit. And it’s worth noting that ownership signed off on the original offer to Bregman back in February.
If the front office is revisiting those conversations, it’s fair to assume they’re prepared to make another sizable offer. But there’s a wrinkle: the Cubs have shown a reluctance to include deferred money in their contracts-something that could become a sticking point if Bregman’s camp expects it as part of the deal structure.
The financial chess match will be interesting to watch, but the bigger takeaway here is that the Cubs are finally engaging with a legitimate free agent bat. That’s significant.
Replacing Tucker won’t be a one-move solution, and Bregman alone won’t fill every offensive gap. But it’s a step in the right direction for a team that needs to add proven production to stay in the playoff conversation.
Whether or not Bregman ends up in a Cubs uniform, the front office’s willingness to pursue a hitter of his caliber signals that they understand the stakes. The Cubs can’t afford to lean too heavily on development timelines when the window to compete is open now. The pursuit of Bregman may just be the beginning.