The Chicago Cubs have some big players heading to free agency this offseason.
Kevin Gausman, Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd (mutual option), Clay Holmes (player option), Carson Kelly (mutual option), Ian Happ, Seiya Suzuki, Michael Conforto, and Tyrone Taylor are just some of the free agents that the Cubs could lose in the coming months.
The biggest name on that list is Suzuki.
Suzuki spent the past five seasons with the Cubs, where he became a power bat in their lineup. He hit .262 with 14 home runs and 46 RBI in 2022, had a .285 batting average with 20 home runs and 74 RBI in 2023, batted .283 with 21 home runs and 73 RBI in 2024, hit .245 with a career-high 32 home runs and 103 RBI in 2025, and batted .270 with 26 home runs and 86 RBI in 2026.
While Suzuki had his best power numbers during the 2025 season, his best all-around season was actually this past year. He slashed .270/.368/.473 with 26 home runs, 31 doubles, 86 RBI, and three stolen bases in 143 games while playing elite defense in the outfield.
For most of his career, Suzuki was a below-average defender. He finished with a negative Fielding Run Value in each of his first four seasons. However, in 2026, Suzuki posted career-best numbers in several defensive metrics, including Fielding Run Value, Outs Above Average, Runs Prevented, and Defensive Runs Saved.
Suzuki’s solid all-around offensive output, combined with his above-average defense, helped him finish with a personal-best 5.1 WAR.
The Japanese slugger now heads to free agency, where he is looking for a massive payday. And he’ll surely get it. Suzuki has a career .269 batting average with 113 home runs, 382 RBI, and a 16.2 WAR in his five Major League seasons.
So, what will a contract for Suzuki look like in free agency?
Luckily, Spotrac recently released a projection for Suzuki’s next contract, giving fans insight into what teams might have to pay for him. Spotrac projects him to sign a four-year, $109.9 million deal in free agency.
That would be a nice payday bump for Suzuki from his previous contract. The Cubs signed the outfielder to a five-year, $85 million deal before the 2022 season. This contract would come in at around $27.5 million annually, up a little over $10 million per season from his last deal.
Suzuki will no doubt get paid this offseason. It remains to be seen whether the Cubs will be the team to pay him.