All signs point to the Chicago Cubs putting a qualifying offer in front of Seiya Suzuki this offseason, and the number should land around $23.15 million. Even so, that move may not do much to alter where this is headed.
Suzuki looks like the kind of free agent teams will chase hard. The market around him is already taking shape, and it’s not limited to one club or one corner of the league.
After the Cubs swung the Kyle Tucker trade ahead of the 2025 season, there was plenty of speculation that Suzuki could be moved. Instead, Chicago shifted Cody Bellinger’s salary to the New York Yankees.
That kind of chatter never really went away. During the past season, when the Cubs were trying to figure out pitching help, Suzuki again came up in trade speculation. Part of that was the lack of right-handed bats available on the market in summer, which made him stand out even more.
The setup this winter looks similar, only with an even thinner free-agent board. Impact hitters are scarce, and Suzuki should sit near the top of that group. That is exactly why clubs are already positioning themselves for a run at him.
The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to be involved, and the Seattle Mariners and New York Yankees are also likely to be in the mix. Seattle had already been mentioned as a possible trade destination for Suzuki over the past year, so this isn’t a new name entering the picture.
A qualifying offer might be attached to Suzuki, but it still feels like this will turn into a real bidding war. And that’s the part that probably keeps the Cubs from bringing him back.
Chicago will have more than $100 million coming off the books this offseason, so money alone won’t be the issue. The problem is how they plan to spend it. Most of those resources are expected to go toward pitching, which makes it tough to see the Cubs outbidding other clubs for Suzuki.
If he leaves, the Cubs would at least come away with a compensation pick. Because they paid into the luxury tax during the 2026 season, they would be in line for a draft pick after the fourth round if Suzuki signs elsewhere.
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