6 Cubs who shouldn’t be back in 2026 after failing when it mattered most

The Chicago Cubs' playoff run has come to an end, and with that, the focus will shift to the offseason. The expectation is that the Cubs will address their need for pitching this winter, but there will be other decisions tied to their roster construction. One of the biggest Cubs' offseason decisions was made at the MLB trade deadline when Jed Hoyer was given a multi-year extension. After a disappointing exit from the playoffs, Hoyer will now be tasked with keeping the team's contention window open.

As Hoyer maps out the plans for the offseason, one of the first orders of business will be determining the players that he wants back for the 2026 season. The Cubs are in a unique position where most of their core is under contract for the 2026 season, so there may not be a massive turnover from the 2025 season. That said, there is one notable free agent who will likely be at the center of Cubs rumors to start the offseason.

Cubs players who definitely won't be back in 2026

To be clear, this isn't simply taking a look at the Cubs' free agents and saying why they won't be back in 2026. There are some looming free-agent decisions for the Cubs, but this is a look at players who may be out of a roster spot next season, either because of how they disappeared at the end of the season or the Cubs using them as trade chips.

Kyle Tucker, OF

Not only has Kyle Tucker lost a significant amount of money with his injury troubles during the second half of the 2025 season, but he has also lessened the priority from the Cubs in terms of bringing him back on a long-term deal. Short of Tucker going for a short-term deal with the chance to replenish his stock, he has likely played his last game with the team.

Kevin Alcantara, OF

Assuming Owen Caissie is the heir apparent to Kyle Tucker in right field, Alcantara likely will be the prospect the Cubs are willing to include in trade talks this offseason. With Seiya Suzuki still on the roster, it doesn't seem logical for the Cubs to enter 2026 with both Caissie and Alcantara still in their organization. If the Cubs are looking for a controllable top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher, Alcantara likely will be of interest to other teams.

Andrew Kittredge, RHP

Andrew Kittredge was used as an opener for the Cubs' Game 2 loss to the San Diego Padres in the National League Wild Card series, and he has a $9MM club option for 2026. Kittredge had been a fine deadline addition for the Cubs, and at times, served as the team's closer during the final two months of the season, but it's hard to imagine the Cubs committing $9MM to a 35-year-old reliever out of the gate to start the offseason.

Javier Assad, RHP

The Cubs may have tipped their hand with Javier Assad with the construction of their playoff roster. Assad wasn't included on the Cubs' roster for the National League Wild Card Series and was passed over in favor of Ben Brown for the NLDS. The messaging from the Cubs was that they were concerned with Assad pitching above his metrics. In other words, they felt he had been very lucky and that he couldn't be counted on during the playoffs. Perhaps that will be the reason why he is non-tendered this offseason.

Seiya Suzuki, RF

It would seem that any significant upgrade to the Chicago Cubs' roster will come through the trade market. Assuming the Cubs want to hold onto their top prospects, they may need to get creative and trade from their starting lineup. The only real options are Seiya Suzuki, Ian Happ, and Matt Shaw. Happ has a full no-trade clause, and it doesn't seem that the Cubs will be giving up on Shaw at third base so quickly. That could surprisingly lead to Suzuki on the trade market.

Taylor Rogers, LHP

Taylor Rogers was left off the Chicago Cubs' roster for their NLDS against the Milwaukee Brewers, and his time with the Cubs won't be remembered fondly. We're not saying Jed Hoyer could have traded for Mason Miller, but Rogers clearly was a move that shouldn't have been made.