The Cubs don’t need a fireworks display to improve the lineup this offseason. They need smart fits - the kind that bolster the offense without pulling resources away from the pitching plan that figures to drive the winter.
That reality makes a reunion with Seiya Suzuki look unlikely, and it also probably takes Chicago out of the top tier of bidders for Randy Arozarena. But that doesn’t mean the Cubs have to settle for standing pat at the plate. They can still make real gains in the everyday lineup, even if the biggest checkbooks are reserved for arms.
The most obvious place to start is behind the plate, where Carson Kelly is starting to look like the most sensible answer again. Without him, and with little in the way of appealing catching options on the free-agent market, the Cubs would be taking a risk with their catching next season.
That isn’t a knock on Miguel Amaya or Owen Ayers so much as a recognition that there are still too many unknowns there. Kelly gave the Cubs a wRC+ above 100 in each of the last two seasons and became an important part of their in-game pitching plan.
Even if bringing him back means paying more than expected, it’s the kind of move that makes practical sense.
First base is another spot where the Cubs can get creative. The 2026 season was supposed to answer a question about Michael Busch: could he handle the job every day, rather than working in a platoon and sitting against lefties?
The answer was no, although not in the way most people would have predicted. Busch actually performed better against left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching last year, but the power just wasn’t there.
His overall offense never took the jump the Cubs were hoping for.
That opens the door to a platoon setup again, and Paul Goldschmidt fits that lane. The Yankees, with Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton presumably healthy, don’t seem to have a real place for him, and Goldschmidt wants to play next year. He crushed lefties in 2026, hitting 11 home runs with a .299 average and a 168 wRC+ against them.
The outfield is a little different, because the Cubs may be open to bigger roles for Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez there. But that doesn’t mean either one should be asked to carry a full-time starting load. The Cubs would be wise to avoid a setup where Shaw and Ramirez are starting more than 150 games in the outfield this season.
So the trade market becomes part of the picture, especially for a starting outfielder without a long-term contract attached. Steven Kwan checks that box, with one year of arbitration left. His contact-first style would give the lineup a different shape, which might matter after the Cubs leaned so heavily on the home run last summer.
In Other News...
Cubs Suddenly Have A Compelling New Outfield Option To Watch
With the Guardians out of the ALCS, the offseason chatter around Steven Kwan can finally take on a more practical shape for clubs that need outfield help, including the Cubs. Kwan is headed into his final year of arbitration, which naturally makes him a player teams around the league will monitor closely, especially ones trying to reshape the edges of a roster and keep the lineup balanced.
For Chicago, the interest makes sense on paper. The Cubs have been linked to the need for outfield reinforcements with some departures looming, and Kwan fits the kind of dependable, contact-oriented profile that can stabilize a lineup. Whether Cleveland actually decides to move him is another matter, but the possibility gives the Cubs a new name worth watching as the winter market begins to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Former Cubs Coach Drawing Interest As Mets Rework Their Staff
The Mets are still sorting out the shape of their hitting staff, and a familiar name for Cubs fans has surfaced in the process. Kevin Long and former Cubs coach John Mallee are among the candidates being interviewed for a hitting coach role, as New York looks to reshape a group that already has Troy Snitker and Rafael Fernandez expected back.
Jeff Albert, the clubs director of hitting, is not expected to return, which leaves the Mets deciding how they want the next layer of the staff to look. They have not settled on whether to bring in a new director of hitting above Snitker or simply add another assistant hitting coach beneath him, leaving Mallees fit in that structure as part of the ongoing review. [Read more 🡒]
Cubs Front Office Suddenly Has An Unexpected Seattle Concern
The Mariners managerial search has taken an unexpected turn for the Cubs, with Chicago director of player development Jason Kanzler emerging as one of the names under consideration in Seattle. The job opened after the Mariners decided not to retain Dan Wilson following the 2026 season, and Kanzler is now being weighed alongside former Astros manager Joe Espada and Dodgers special assistant Rocco Baldelli.
For Chicago, the interest is notable because Kanzler has coaching experience in the majors, but not nearly the same managerial background as some of the other candidates. If Seattle decides he is the right fit, the Cubs would suddenly have a front-office issue to sort through, since Kanzler sits in a key spot within their player-development operation and his departure would force some internal reshuffling. [Read more 🡒]