Cubs may have already ruled themselves out of Randy Arozarena sweepstakes without saying it

There was genuine surprise last offseason when the Chicago Cubs shelled out $175 million for Alex Bregman. While Bregman is someone the Cubs had been obsessed with for years, the impression was their financial resources would be geared towards pitching. Fast forward to this upcoming offseason, and it would seem that the Cubs want be taking page out of the Bregman playbook they used last winter.

When meeting with reporters last Friday, Jed Hoyer all but confirmed the Cubs' focus this offseason will be on pitching. He didn't give an exact split in terms of just how much of the Cubs' available resources would be spent on pitching, but the impression was there won't be a big-ticket position player added to this roster during the offseason.

“I think it’s safe to say that the biggest part of our focus going into the offseason is going to be on pitching,” Hoyer said. “Whether that’s 100-0, what ratio that’s going to be, is not to be determined yet. But certainly the great majority of our focus is going to be on pitching acquisition going in.”

Randy Arozarena looks like obvious Cubs fit but pitching plans could make pursuit impossible

With Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki free agents this offseason, Randy Arozarena has the impression of someone who would be a great fit for the Cubs' offense.

Arozarena is also a free agent this winter, and what better time for him to be coming off a career year. In 670 plate appearances with the Seattle Mariners, he Arozarena slashed .281/.381/.484 with 26 home runs, and a wRC+ of 151.

For the same reasons that the Cubs aren't expected to engage in a bidding war for Seiya Suzuki, it feels like the same logic can be applied to a potential pursuit of Arozarena. It's a thin free-agent class for hitters, and considering the seaosn Arozarena just had, he should be in line for a healthy long-term deal.

While the Cubs likely will add an outfielder this offseason, it's important to also note that they have Josiah Hartshorn and Kane Kepley in the waiting. Neither will be ready for the majors by Opening Day 2027, but it would seem that they could be knocking on the door by the end of the year. That makes it clear that Arozarena probably isn't in the cards for the Cubs this offseason. If he were, well, then there would be a much different tone being had about Suzuki's chances of returning to the Cubs.

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