The Toronto Blue Jays enter the winter with more work to do than anyone would have guessed a year ago, and their path back to contention could run straight through the Chicago Cubs’ free-agent market.
After reaching the World Series in 2025, Toronto now faces an offseason loaded with holes to fill. The front office will be charged with fixing that quickly, even with an expected lockout threatening to slow everything down. The Blue Jays can still try to improve their offense, whether those moves come during the lockout’s aftermath or before it hits.
Two names stand out: Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ. Both have spent the last few seasons with the Cubs, and both would give Toronto a legitimate boost.
They’re not just warm bodies for depth, either. Happ and Suzuki are above-average hitters who would fit well on a Blue Jays lineup that could use help wherever it can find it. Bleacher Report pointed out that Toronto has clear needs at designated hitter and in the outfield.
“With Addison Barger coming off a season where he played just nine games and George Springer headed for free agency and perhaps retirement, a corner outfielder and a designated hitter will both be on the offseason shopping list,” Joel Reuter wrote.
The Blue Jays have shown they’re willing to spend in free agency, and they’ve done so at the top of the market in recent years. Ownership and the front office have made that part of their identity, and more often than not, that willingness to spend is most of the fight.
But Toronto won’t be alone in the chase. The thin free-agent class should drive more teams toward Suzuki and Happ, which could push the price beyond what the Blue Jays want to pay.
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Cubs Have A Bullpen Decision That Could Quietly Matter
The Cubs are set up to bring back much of the same bullpen group next season, which gives the front office a little continuity in a part of the roster that often turns over fast. Daniel Palencia, Phil Maton, Ryan Zeferjahn and Ryan Rolison are all expected to be back, giving Chicago a core it can reasonably build around as some free agents move on.
Jacob Webb is the name to watch in the rest of the discussion. The Cubs are likely to pick up his $2.5 million club option even after a rough finish, a sign they still see value in his ability to work in middle relief or handle setup innings if he rebounds. It is the kind of quiet bullpen choice that does not draw much attention in November, but can matter plenty once the games start counting again. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Face Another Winter Question As Key Insider Draws Interest
The Cubs are already navigating a winter of turnover, with Jared Banner moving on to become the Orioles' general manager and John Mallee surfacing in the Mets' search for a hitting coach. Now another familiar name from their organization is drawing outside interest, as Seattle reportedly weighs Cubs farm director Jason Kanzler for its managerial opening. It is the kind of back-office ripple that can matter as much as any on-field move, especially for an organization trying to keep its player development operation steady.
For Chicago, the timing only adds to the uncertainty. The Angels are also reshaping their front office and dugout, which can widen the market for candidates and create more movement around the league, while the Cubs continue to scout Japanese third baseman Teruaki Sato ahead of his expected posting this offseason. The question is whether there is a clean fit for him on the roster, but before that gets answered, the Cubs may have to sort through another winter issue closer to home: whether one of their important voices is staying put. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Already Have A Tough Corbin Martin Decision To Make
Corbin Martins brief run with the Cubs looked promising at first. The right-hander gave Chicago four scoreless outings in his first stretch with the club and appeared to give the bullpen another useful arm before his command started to slip. Once the control problems piled up, the Cubs designated him for assignment and sent him back to Triple-A on May 10, a quick turn that underscored how little margin there was for error.
The harder part now is sorting out what comes next for a pitcher who never really got the runway to settle in. Martin kept working in the minors after the demotion, but his season was interrupted by an injury that cost him a long stretch down the line, leaving the Cubs with one more uncomfortable call to weigh on a depth piece who flashed enough early to make them notice in the first place. [Read more 🡒]