Ballot: What Ought to The Cubs Do With Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki?

The Cubs kicked off the 2026 season with a pair of notable extensions. They locked up star middle fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong and veteran second baseman Nico Hoerner on contracts that can preserve each gamers on the town by means of the top of the 2032 season. Even after extending Hoerner (who was a pending free agent previous to signing), nevertheless, the Cubs are in place to lose loads of expertise this offseason. Sixty p.c of the membership’s beginning rotation (Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon) is slated to hit free company after the season. That is additionally catcher Carson Kelly‘s ultimate 12 months below contract.

Probably the most notable gamers the crew stands to lose to free company, nevertheless, are Crow-Armstrong’s companions within the outfield: left fielder Ian Happ and proper fielder Seiya Suzuki. Whether or not a deal will come along with both Happ or Suzuki stays to be seen. As of two months in the past, each Happ and Suzuki indicated that that they had not spoken to the Cubs about extensions but. That may change with one cellphone name, in fact, however there’s been no proof up to now that the edges have engaged in talks thus far. On the floor, the argument for extending one or each of the crew’s nook outfielders appears pretty apparent: each have been persistently productive for Chicago.

Happ is now in his tenth season as a serious league participant, and he’s by no means posted a beneath common season by measure of wRC+ in that point. Because the departure of the core that gained the World Collection in 2016, Happ has been the membership’s longest-tenured participant and a constant presence on offense. From 2022 onwards, he’s slashed .250/.346/.435 (119 wRC+) general with exceptional year-to-year consistency. His wRC+ has fallen between 116 and 122 in every of the final 4 years, and on protection every of these seasons has ended with him being awarded the NL’s Gold Glove for his work in left area. Except for his on-field worth, Happ additionally holds a significant place in Cubs historical past with an opportunity to complete the 12 months within the franchise’s prime 10 all time for house runs.

Suzuki, alternatively, joined the Cubs after coming over from Japan forward of the 2022 season and has solely improved throughout his 4 years with the membership. A profession .269/.346/.472 (127 wRC+) hitter within the majors, he’s been arguably the Cubs’ best bat throughout his time with the membership. Since arriving within the majors in 2022, Suzuki’s the Eleventh-best outfielder within the majors by wRC+ (minimal 1500 plate appearances). That places him simply behind Byron Buxton and Julio Rodriguez, sitting simply forward of Fernando Tatis Jr. and Corbin Carroll. These are middle-of-the-order superstars that Suzuki is rubbing elbows with from a statistical perspective, and that type of impression may be powerful to exchange.

That’s to not say extending both participant is essentially a slam-dunk resolution, as each actually include flaws. Each will rejoice their thirty second birthdays in August, placing them close to the top of their prime years. Neither is strictly a whole participant, both. Suzuki’s offensive impression can’t be denied, however his defensive struggles within the outfield are well-documented and led to him spending many of the 2025 marketing campaign because the membership’s DH. He’s additionally struggled to remain wholesome within the majors, having solely performed 150 video games as soon as in his profession. He already began 2026 on the injured listing resulting from a knee damage he suffered throughout the World Baseball Basic.

Happ, alternatively, is a extra well-rounded participant however the offensive manufacturing he gives is loads simpler to come back by. Taylor Ward, Teoscar Hernandez, Brendan Donovan, Jarren Duran, Anthony Santander, Randy Arozarena, and Brandon Nimmo are all inside three factors of Happ’s wRC+ from 2022-25 in a single path or the opposite. All of these gamers are high quality items, however that group is undeniably a step down from the rarefied air Suzuki’s numbers put him in.

One key issue that has not but been talked about concerning the Cubs’ choices on Suzuki and Happ is the provision of high quality alternate options. Arozarena is ready to achieve free company this 12 months and is akin to Happ and Suzuki by way of each age and productiveness, however they’re undoubtedly the highest three nook outfielders available on the market this winter. Gamers like Trent Grisham and Ramon Laureano lack the prolonged observe information supplied by Happ and Suzuki, whereas somebody like George Springer comes with much more substantial age-related issues provided that he’ll flip 37 this September. If the Cubs are going to dip into free company for outfield assist this winter, they’ll be exhausting pressed to search out an improve over the blokes they have already got.

By way of inside choices to exchange the duo, the Cubs are fairly skinny. High outfield prospect Owen Caissie was dealt to Miami over the offseason to land Edward Cabrera. Kevin Alcantara is a well-regarded prospect at present hitting very nicely at Triple-A, however the 23-year-old has struggled in restricted possibilities within the majors and attracts important worth from his protection in middle area, a place he gained’t play on a crew that options Crow-Armstrong. 2025 first-rounder Ethan Conrad may be very well-regarded in prospecting circles however nonetheless years away from the majors. Matt Shaw was displaced from third base by the addition of Alex Bregman and has gotten some reps in proper area whereas Suzuki is on the shelf, however he was a below-average offensive participant final 12 months and had no expertise within the outfield earlier than this spring.

How do MLBTR readers suppose the Cubs ought to deal with the outfield corners going ahead? Ought to they prolong one or each of their present veterans, or allow them to each stroll in free company? Have your say within the ballot beneath: