The Cubs and Padres are headed for another offseason collision, and this time the fight may be over two familiar Chicago names.
Both clubs are staring at the same problem: they need pitching, and they’ll also be hunting for corner outfield help and leverage relievers before the lockout. That overlap has already put San Diego in the mix for Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, two Cubs regulars who could wind up on the move if the Padres decide to make a real push.
Imanaga looks like the cleaner fit. Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported that San Diego likes the left-hander’s profile at Petco Park because he’s a fly-ball pitcher.
That kind of environment would be a better match for him than the wind-heavy conditions at Wrigley Field. Losing him would still sting, especially with his track record for taking the ball - he has thrown more than 170 innings twice in the past three seasons - but the Padres’ rotation is in rough shape, and the fit makes enough sense to be more than just rumor fuel.
Suzuki would be the bigger gut punch for Chicago. A move to San Diego would give the Padres more options with Fernando Tatis Jr., who can handle second base in addition to his usual work in right field. Add Suzuki to a group that already includes Manny Machado, Jackson Merrill, and the rest of San Diego’s expensive bats, and the Padres would only get more annoying for the Cubs in future NL Wild Card races.
There’s a catch, though. If the Padres sign Suzuki, they’d give up draft picks and international bonus money, while the Cubs would receive a pick after the fourth round of the 2027 MLB Draft. And every dollar San Diego spends on Suzuki is a dollar not spent on pitching, which could take some pressure off Chicago’s own top targets.
For now, it’s still unclear how much A.J. Preller and the Padres can really do with their supposedly tight budget. But one thing is obvious: San Diego is going to keep showing up in the same free-agent conversations as the Cubs.
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Grishams appeal is tied to the idea that there may still be more in the bat than his recent results have shown, while his defensive profile gives him a safer floor than many free-agent outfield options. Add in the fact that he has dealt with injuries, and the Cubs could see him as the sort of low-risk signing that makes sense if they want to keep flexibility while addressing a need. Whether Chicago decides to push in that direction will say plenty about how aggressively it plans to reshape the outfield. [Read more 🡒]
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Imanagas departure would leave another notable hole for a staff that needs more than just a tweak. Chicago is unlikely to make re-signing him the top priority, which puts the spotlight squarely on how aggressively the Cubs will shop for arms and how quickly they can add them. The rotation rebuild was always going to matter, but losing a pitcher of Imanagas caliber would make the task feel even more urgent. [Read more 🡒]