One Cubs Free Agent They Can’t Afford to Lose (And One They Can)

This offseason will be filled with tough decisions for the Chicago Cubs.

Jed Hoyer will have a lot of players entering free agency, and it’s up to the front office leader to decide who stays and who walks. If one thing is for sure, there is an expectation that the team looks very different next year. They need meaningful upgrades to make a deep playoff push. So that begs the question: Who do the Cubs keep, and who do they let go?

Let's discuss one guy they can’t afford to lose, as well as one player they might be better off letting go.

Seiya Suzuki Has to Stay

Seiya Suzuki has been a very productive player in his five years with the Cubs. He gives them the flexibility to produce both in right field and at designated hitter. The numbers speak for themselves at both positions. Suzuki has been one of their most consistent bats for years, carrying a career .823 OPS since entering the majors in 2022.

The power has also been on full display in recent years. Suzuki has hit 20+ homers in four consecutive years, and he even smashed a career-high 32 in 2025.

What might be the most important, however, is Suzuki's growth as a defender. To be sure, he earned a handful of Gold Glove awards overseas, but Suzuki failed to see this translate early in his MLB career. This has finally changed for the better, as he is coming off a career year in right field. With that in mind, the idea of paying up to keep him becomes a whole lot easier.

SEIYA SUZUKI’S HITTING RANKED vs. ALL MLB RIGHT FIELDERS:

WRC+ / OPS+ 131 - 5th
OBP .368 - 4th
OPS .841 - 6th
HRs 26 - 6th
RBI 86 - 6th
Runs… pic.twitter.com/jhRSIQvi6K
— OBVIOUS SHIRTS® (@obvious_shirts) October 4, 2026

If the Cubs do decide to let Suzuki walk, there won’t be any major upgrade that they can make. They would either have to sign someone at a lower cost or rely on an inexperienced prospect who hasn't yet produced at the level Suzuki has during his tenure.

Bringing Suzuki back would not only help the Cubs win now, but also allow future players like Josiah Harthshorn and Ethan Conrad to develop at their own pace. Suzuki may not be the long-term answer for the Cubs, but he can still help the Major League club win now. The Cubs are already on the verge of losing plenty of their roster in the off-season. Why not keep a guy like Suzuki, who has improved and continues to grow his game?

By the way, keep an eye on the Toronto Blue Jays, who are reportedly looking to poach Suzuki this winter.

Shota Imanaga Can Go

Shota Imanaga has been a fan favorite, and he has proven how dominant he can be at times. However, you don’t expect the Cubs to bring him back this offseason. His struggles have far outweighed his strengths, and it doesn’t make sense for the Cubs to bring him back. There was a thought that he could have pitched in the playoffs after his strong finish, but that wasn’t the case.

Shota Imanaga’s last two starts:

6.0 IP | 5 H | 2 R | 2 BB | 4 K
6.0 IP | 3 H | 1 R | 0 BB | 4 K

He’s looked solid, which could be huge for the Cubs if he keeps this up with the playoffs approaching. pic.twitter.com/InvDfpepvU
— Carson Wolf (@TheWrigleyWire) September 14, 2026

Imanaga had his fair share of dominant stretches, but it didn’t happen when it mattered most: The playoffs. The Cubs gave Imanaga a chance last year, and it didn’t pan out. So much so that, similar to Edward Cabrera this year, manager Craig Counsell avoided him for the remainder of the playoffs.

When you are paying someone more than $20 million, you expect that player to be a key contributor in the postseason. Unless he signs a team-friendly deal, don’t expect the Cubs to bring Imanaga back. The rotation will look very different next year.

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