Could the Chicago Cubs bring in free agent Cubs killer on budget deal?

The Chicago Cubs declared that their focus will be on pitching this offseason—and, of course it has to be.

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The team will be seeing its entire end-of-season starting rotation—Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, Kevin Gausman, Clay Holmes, and David Peterson—heading off into free agency.

However, there are other pressing needs as well. Free agency-eligible corner outfielders Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are also expected to test the free agent market, as is catcher Carson Kelly, who just declined his part of a mutual option for 2027. Then, there’s the likely loss of outfielders Michael Conforto and Tyrone Taylor, also via free agency.

In the face of all the pitching help they need, they’re going to need a bat or two.

The question, though, is how much can the Cubs afford to spend when much of their money needs to be channeled into acquiring pitching.

An answer to the Cubs’ bat needs?

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Could the answer to their needs be as close as an NL Central Division rival?

As of this writing, Eugenio Suarez has yet to make a decision regarding his end of the 2027 $16 million mutual option he has with the Cincinnati Reds. It’s expected that he will decline that option and test the market as a free agent.

That’s where the Cubs could come in.

At 35 and as purely a DH at this point in his career, noted Cubs killer Suarez will likely have to settle for single-year contracts for the rest of his playing days—and that would be absolutely fine with Chicago as they look to replace Suzuki’s right-handed bat in the lineup this coming season.

In 2026, Suarez got off to a slow, injury-filled start to his one-year contract with the Reds due to an oblique injury. He came on strong late in the season, though, and finished the year with 26 home runs and 74 RBIs with an OPS of .740, but a batting average of just .212.

Does it make sense?

Jake Misener of Cubbies Crib was the first to toss out the possibility of Suarez as a Cubs free agent target:

“His deal includes a mutual option for 2027, but he’s expected to decline it and hit the open market. Big-picture, he still finished with a 104 OPS+, 26 home runs and 74 RBI, so he still has something to offer and the Cubs could lose one of their primary power bats this winter with Seiya Suzuki hitting the open market.

Now, Suarez probably isn’t seeing much (if any) time at the hot corner with Alex Bregman entrenched there and Matt Shaw ready to give him a blow as needed, but he could be a full-time DH option for Craig Counsell next year. Suarez isn’t going to command a high-dollar, multi-year deal at this point in his career, which could allow the front office to keep its resources focused on its top priority: the pitching staff.”

Suarez doesn’t bring what Suzuki does, but his solid finish to 2026 shows that he still has some juice in his bat and the ability to hit 20-plus homers a year. In 2025, he hit 49 home runs. So, maybe 25-30 would be a realistic expectation in a full season in 2027—if there’s actually a full season played.

As of right now, Suarez is just an interesting possibility—and maybe a budget-friendly one—worth exploring.

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