Cubs get Silver Slugger proof Seiya Suzuki is worth keeping but his return has one unlikely path

It was a healthy showing for the Chicago Cubs among theNational League finalists for the Louisville Silver Slugger awards, considering the team, Alex Bregman, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Seiya Suzuki all got recognition.

Suzuki is in a similar position to the one that Kyle Tucker was in last offseason when he was nominated. Suzuki's production is exactly what the Cubs' lineup needs in 2027, but he's a free agent. Similar to Tucker, there's also this overwhelming sense that the Cubs won't be the team at the top of the bidding for Suzuki this offseason.

Suzuki is positioned to be the one of the best right-handed hitters available this offseason. In 634 plate appearances last season, he slashed .270/.368/.473 with a wRC+ of 134. The power was also still present in his profile, hitting 26 home runs with an ISO of .202. To simply put it, if Suzuki isn't back with the Cubs next season, there's a great chance they won't be in the running for the team recognition for the Silver Slugger award.

Cubs' Seiya Suzuki dilemma gets harder after Silver Slugger nomination

If all things were equal this offseason, the Cubs likely would have made Suzuki's return a priority this offseason. But, specific to the situation facing the Cubs, they need multiple starting pitchers. Until the Cubs can map out an effective rotation for the 2027 season, pitching needs to be the priority. In other words, right now, even though the Cubs have over $100 million coming off their books this offseason, most of that is expected to be recycled into the pitching staff.

The door may not be entirely closed to Suzuki returning to the Cubs, but there's only one path through it, so to speak. In a scenario where the Cubs trade for a cost-controlled ace under control for the 2027 season and beyond, and then round out the rotation with mid-tier signings like Clay Holmes and David Peterson, then there should be money available to sign Suzuki to the contract he's expected to command. It's an unlikely scenario, to be clear, but was the one offered during the latest episode of North Side Territory with The Athletic's Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney.

Time wouldn't be on the Cubs' side for that scenario either. The offseason is going to come a screeching halt after December 1, considering a lockout is expected once the current CBA expires. That means a full offseason's worth of activity is expected to be crammed into these next four weeks. That's very little time to sift through trade discussions with a team, find common ground on a deal, and then also add two mid-tier starting pitchers. Even if the Cubs did accomplish all three of those things, chances are Suzuki would have found a suitor before they ready to meet him at the negotiating table.

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