The Cubs’ offseason is going to start with the pitching staff, but the offense can’t be ignored if Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki both leave in free agency. Suzuki’s bat has been a major piece of the lineup in recent years, and his 2026 season only strengthened that case: a career-best 5.1 bWAR, 31 doubles to match a career high, 26 home runs and 86 RBI. He also took a big step forward defensively in right field.
Chicago can’t simply hand those corner spots to Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez and call it a solution. That might be a path, but it doesn’t look like a smart one. The Cubs need offense, and Paul Goldschmidt is one possible answer.
Goldschmidt, the former MVP and seven-time All-Star, spent the last two seasons with the Yankees. After New York was swept by the Rays in the ALDS, the 39-year-old said he plans to keep playing next season.
Jon Heyman reported that Goldschmidt “suggested he would like to keep playing. He said: “I love competing.””
There are a few reasons Goldschmidt could make sense for Chicago. The Cubs got strong bench value this year from Michael Conforto and Tyrone Taylor, and both are now set to join Happ and Suzuki in free agency. If Ramirez and/or Shaw move into a corner outfield spot, that only thins the bench further.
Goldschmidt would also fit neatly with Michael Busch at first base. The Cubs gave Busch a longer look against lefties this season, and while the results weren’t disastrous, there was still an expectation that he’d provide more offense in 2026. Goldschmidt did serious damage against left-handers for the Yankees this year, hitting .299/.393/.573, and he’d be a major upgrade in those matchups.
If the Cubs aren’t going to chase the top of the free-agent market for offense, they’ll need to find shorter-term, cost-conscious ways to patch the lineup. A one-year deal for Goldschmidt could be one of them.
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Cubs Enter Another Offseason With One Huge Problem Still Unfixed
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There is also a sense that the answers may not come from the players alone. The article points to change in the front office as a possibility and frames the organizations pitching development as a disappointing area under the current regime, which puts added pressure on how the Cubs evaluate both leadership and approach this winter. If Chicago is going to keep its defensive identity, it still has to find a better way to build and develop pitchers around it. [Read more 🡒]