Could Chicago Cubs Move Off Star Slugger in Offseason?

The Chicago Cubs will be faced with plenty of decisions when the offseason begins.

They need to decide how aggressive they're willing to be in both the free agency market and the trade market, as they look to build a playoff contender.

Cody Bellinger's looming free agency is a big topic of discussion along with the possibility that the Cubs could be major players in the Shohei Ohtani sweepstakes.

Trade rumors have connected Chicago to New York Mets' slugger Pete Alonso and San Diego Padres' superstar Juan Soto.

Before the front office dives into figuring out which direction they want to go, they'll need to decide what to do with their slugger Patrick Wisdom.

The third baseman is entering arbitration this offseason and will reportedly be eligible for a projected salary of $2.6 million in 2024.

That's a major increase from his $763,000 salary he made this past season.

Wisdom has been disappointing in his tenure with the Cubs.

After a solid 2021 season where he hit .231/.305/.518 with 28 home runs and 61 RBI, his numbers the past two years have dropped.

In 2022 his slash line was .207/.298/.426.

In 2023, it was .205/.289/.500.

His power numbers have continued to be high, hitting 23 or more home runs in both of the past two seasons, but he struck out 183 times in 2022 and 111 times in 2023.

Wisdom's defense at third base has also been poor.

He finished with a team-worst -8 Outs Above Average and -6 Runs Prevented. While playing at third, the 32-year-old recorded a .927 fielding percentage, which is well below average for the position.

This relegated the once promising signing to a bench role during the latter part of the year.

Chicago has emphasized infield defense, something that Wisdom can't provide.

There's a chance the Cubs decide to move on from the star slugger despite the power he brings to the lineup.

An increase in salary and lower production isn't a good recipe for an organization who is looking to get themselves back into the postseason.