Could Cubs Trade Seiya Suzuki, Even as They Buy at Trade Deadline?

A lot of the focus around the Chicago Cubs leading up to the trade deadline has centered around their pitching staff, and rightfully so. It's hard to look at this roster and come away with any other conclusion than that adding another arm should be the front office's top priority.

But there's another issue quietly looming over this team that hasn't gotten nearly as much attention. Chicago has some important players entering free agency after the 2026 season, and odds are good that the Cubs simply can't keep all of them. If that's the case, the front office has to ask itself an uncomfortable question: is it better to make one difficult move now than risk losing multiple contributors for nothing a few months from now? If so, Seiya Suzuki might be the best place to start.

Suzuki is in the final season of the five-year, $85-million contract he signed with the Cubs in March 2022, and he's done just about everything the organization could have hoped for during that deal. Even after missing time early in the year, he's once again been one of Chicago's most productive hitters. Across 387 plate appearances, Suzuki is slashing .265/.354/.473 with an .827 OPS, continuing to provide the middle-of-the-order production the Cubs have relied on throughout his tenure. For a team with legitimate postseason aspirations, that's not the type of bat you willingly remove from the lineup.

But trading Suzuki wouldn't be about his performance. If anything, his production is exactly why the Cubs should at least entertain the possibility. The bigger picture is what makes this interesting. Suzuki isn't the only key player headed toward free agency. Fellow outfielder Ian Happ is also set to hit the open market after the season, as are Shota Imanaga, Carson Kelly and Matthew Boyd. Add in a few other expiring contracts around the roster, and suddenly, the Cubs are staring at an offseason where they could need to replace a whole lot of outgoing talent in the compressed window for activity created by a winter lockout.

Bringing everyone back isn't likely, and probably wouldn't end well. If the Cubs are forced to choose, Suzuki probably has the strongest case to stay based strictly on offensive production. He's been one of the most dangerous hitters in their lineup. At the same time, though, the roster is beginning to evolve.

Matt Shaw has already made the transition to right field this season, and the Cubs have no shortage of young position players pushing for larger roles. Pete Crow-Armstrong has established himself as a legitimate superstar, and a couple youngsters (James Triantos and Pedro Ramírez) could also wind up landing in the outfield corners. The organization has spent years building toward a younger, more athletic core, and eventually, those players need somewhere to play. Moving Suzuki would clarify the Cubs' long-term outfield picture instead of kicking that decision down the road another few months.

Then there's the financial side of things. The Cubs currently carry one of baseball's larger payrolls, at roughly $254 million for the purposes of the competitive balance tax. They're already projected to be about $10 million over the first threshold. To stay under the second one while adding any salary at the deadline, they could need to subtract some, too.

Unlike many rental players, Suzuki isn't simply an expiring contract. He's an impact bat capable of changing a lineup, which means his value should remain extremely high despite his impending free agency. There are plenty of contenders who could use exactly that. Teams like the Rays, Guardians, and Phillies all make sense. Whether any of them ultimately emerge as serious suitors remains to be seen, but the market should exist.

I'm not going to speculate on exactly what a return would look like, and if you want some insight into it, I encourage you to read this piece. But it's not difficult to imagine Suzuki bringing back the type of pitcher the Cubs have spent weeks trying to acquire.

The Cubs would be addressing three different problems with one move. They'd open up their long-term outfield picture, create additional financial flexibility, and add desperately needed pitching for both this season and (potentially) beyond. That's a difficult combination to ignore.

Of course, the Cubs are trying to make a deep postseason run, and Suzuki gives them a better chance of doing exactly that. If the front office believes this roster is capable of winning the National League, holding onto one of its best hitters is a perfectly reasonable decision. There's nothing wrong with pushing your chips into the middle when a championship is within reach. Suzuki also has a no-trade clause, so moving him would be complicated. It might even be impossible.

But the front office also has to think beyond October. This isn't just about Suzuki. It's about recognizing that the Cubs probably aren't going to keep every major free agent they have after the season. Rather than watching multiple players walk away for nothing, they should seriously consider turning one of those expiring assets into something that helps both now and in the future. If they decide to go that route, Suzuki may be the player who makes the most sense.

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