4 Cubs players who will be back in 2026 but will only make life miserable

The Chicago Cubs are in a curious spot this offseason. The Cubs will have nearly $100MM to spend this offseason, assuming they are planning to use the first tier of the competitive balance tax as a cap, but the looming work stoppage after 2026 likely will be a handcuff for the front office this winter.

As such, it goes without saying that Kyle Tucker will not be back with the Cubs unless Tucker is willing to take a short-term deal to replenish the stock that was lost during the second half of the season. That will be resolved in the free agency, but the Cubs do a majority of the players that will be on their roster in 2026. Of course, that may not be a good thing.

Cubs players who will be back in 2026 but will only make life miserable

Ian Happ, LF

There is a very easy case to be made for the Chicago Cubs to trade Ian Happ, regardless of what happens with Tucker's free agency. Happ approached his career averages by the end of the season with a wRC+ of 116 and 23 home runs, but his slumps during the 2025 season were more prolonged than they've been since the early years of his career. In a world where the Cubs were going to be creative to address their need for a top-of-the-rotation start, including Happ in such a deal makes sense. Instead, Happ has a full no-trade clause and almost certainly will be back next season.

Ben Brown, RHP

The Cubs are desperate to make the Ben Brown experiment work, and to his credit, he offers some of the best swing-and-miss stuff of any pitcher on the roster. The issue is that Brown had an ERA of 5.92 last season, and when he is not facing the Milwaukee Brewers, he hasn't been all that effective. Brown will be given another opportunity in 2026, but that could very well be his last one.

Eli Morgan, RHP

With Eli Morgan maintaining his minor-league option for 2026, chances are the Cubs will look to bring him back next season. They shouldn't. Morgan flashed potential during his run with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024, but 2025 with the Cubs was a disaster. The Cubs need legitimate arms for their bullpen, but it feels like Jed Hoyer and company will double down on reclamation projects like Morgan.

Dansby Swanson, SS

For better or worse, the Chicago Cubs are stuck with Dansby Swanson. The better is that Swanson remains one of the best defensive shortstops in all of baseball, and his fielding is one of the main reasons why the Cubs got past the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card series. The worst part is that he has descended toward being a below-average offensive player, and the regression is only getting started.