Chicago Cubs could lose outfielder Seiya Suzuki to AL Contender this offseason

Tomorrow afternoon, the Chicago Cubs will travel to San Diego as they begin their postseason. A three-game series will decide whether or not the Cubs move on to the Divisional Round or get ready for the winter.

The Cubs are led by likely MVP Pete Crow-Armstrong, who’s coming off one of the most historic seasons in recent memory. After hitting 45 home runs and stealing 41 bases, Crow-Armstrong now joins the exclusive 40-40 list. The chances that he earns a unanimous MVP are very high.

Aside from Pete, the Cubs are also led by outfielder Seiya Suzuki. He also had a great season, hitting 26 home runs of his own while driving in 86 runs. The main storyline around Suzuki is his contract, as it expires at the end of the 2026 season. He’ll become a free agent and is set to have a line of potential suitors waiting to sign him.

One of those suitors will be the Toronto Blue Jays, that is, according to Mitch Bannon. He covers the Jays with The Athletic and wrote a story about the Jays’ offseason today.

“This offseason, said a league source who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss offseason plans, the Jays are expected to pursue Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki. His 26 homers would’ve ranked second on the Jays this year and his .841 OPS would’ve led all qualified Jays by nearly 80 points.”

Suzuki would be a huge addition for Toronto. The Jays have never been shy of spending money in the past, and they’ll likely be looking to spend even more this offseason. Especially after a disappointing season.

The Chicago Cubs will lose Seiya Suzuki if they lowball him in free agency

Seiya Suzuki has been a consistent member of the Chicago Cubs ever since he signed his 5-year, 85-million dollar deal with the organization back in 2022. He’s set to make much more this winter, regardless of where he ends up.

As contracts continue to trend up, he’s projected to make somewhere around 24-26 million annually. With him being 32 years old, that number could change, depending on how the Cubs do in the postseason.

Seiya Suzuki ties the game with a blast pic.twitter.com/48c9MzfNad

— MLB (@MLB) September 24, 2026

Another big factor in all of this is the potential MLB lockout. If that takes place, it’ll be interesting to see how aging players like Suzuki fare in free agency, with so much uncertainty ahead.

When the Cubs begin their postseason journey tomorrow, watch out for Suzuki. He’s got a lot to play for, and hasn’t had many postseason chances thus far in his young MLB tenure. He’s hit 3 home runs, 5 RBIs, and 4 runs scored in 8 career playoff games.

The chances for him to earn a good payday are certainly there.

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