With key players entering contract years, the Cubs face decisions. Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki remain open to extensions, but haven't heard from the team yet.
The Chicago Cubs have some pretty big names entering free agency next offseason.
Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Nico Hoerner, Jameson Taillon, Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga, and Carson Kelly are all in the final year of their deal with the team. Those seven players will become free agents after this season.
That puts the Cubs in an interesting spot this spring. The front office could begin negotiating contract extensions with those players and potentially work out a long-term deal ahead of the 2026 season.
Players like Happ, Suzuki, and Hoerner could all be players the Cubs go to this spring to work out a long-term deal.
Of those three players, Hoerner is the most important player to extend. He is coming off his best all-around season and is still only 28 years old. He is a strong contact hitter, an elite defender, and an above-average runner on the basepaths.
However, Hoerner told reporters in Arizona that all contract negotiations with the team will remain private. So, we don’t really know where the front office stands on a contract extension. We do know that the Cubs will approach Hoerner at some point this spring to discuss a potential extension, as reported by Jesse Rogers last month.
As for Happ and Suzuki, both outfielders were a bit more honest when asked about where things stand on a contract extension. Neither player has been approached by the Cubs on a potential extension yet.
“Going back to the last time, I've always said I'd be open to talking about anything,” Happ said.
“I want to work hard and perform well, and hopefully they say yes,” Suzuki said via interpreter.
Happ has been in this exact situation before. He entered the 2023 campaign in the final year of his deal with the Cubs before agreeing to a three-year, $61 million deal. That new extension actually came a few weeks into the regular season.
For Suzuki, this will be his first time playing in the last year of his deal. He signed a five-year, $85 million contract with the Cubs before the 2022 season and will officially be a free agent next offseason.
Although the front office hasn’t approached either player for a contract extension yet, both players seem open to signing one before the season. Happ has played only for the Cubs in his career, and Suzuki hopes Chicago wants him back.
It’s unlikely that the Cubs will extend both players this offseason, but there’s a good chance the front office approaches both Happ and Suzuki at some point this spring to start those negotiations.
From there, anything can happen.