Aging Yankees slugger could help the Cubs offset the loss of Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki 

We know that Jed Hoyer's primary focus this offseason will be re-making a Chicago Cubs pitching staff that left a lot to be desired, both in terms of health and performance. That being said, the front office can't completely afford to ignore the offense, especially if they wind up losing both Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki in free agency.

Suzuki, in particular, has been one of the biggest offensive threats in the Cubs' lineup in recent years, and the loss of his bat will hurt. This year, he posted a career-best 5.1 bWAR, tied a career high with 31 doubles, and added 26 home runs and 86 RBI for good measure. Oh, and he was a dramatically improved defender in right field as well, which will only bolster his free-agent case.

You can't just plug in Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez into the corner spots and call it a day. Well, I suppose you can, but I don't think that's an advisable course of action. The Cubs need to replace some of that lost offense, and Paul Goldschmidt could be a potential answer.

The former MVP and seven-time All-Star spent the last two seasons in the Bronx and, after the Yankees were swept by the Rays in the ALDS, the 39-year-old Goldschmidt made it clear that he intends to play next season.

Paul Goldschmidt fits the Cubs better than you might initially think

So why would a team like the Cubs have an interest in an aging first baseman? Well, for multiple reasons. The bench benefited greatly from the duo of Michael Conforto and Tyrone Taylor this year and both are set to join Happ and Suzuki in free agency. If Ramirez and/or Shaw slide into a corner outfield spot, that's another subtraction from the bench mix.

Having experience to turn to is never a bad thing. And the simple truth is, Goldschmidt makes for a perfect platoon partner with Michael Busch at first.

This season, the Cubs gave Busch a long leash against lefties for the first time. The results left much weren't terrible, but looking big picture, many expected more from Busch offensively in 2026. Goldschmidt massacred lefties with New York this year (.299/.393/.573) and would represent a major upgrade in those matchups.

Look, if you're not going to spend at the top of the free agent market for offense, you have to find cost-efficient, short-term ways to plug holes and a one-year deal with Goldschmidt could be one such avenue.

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