Cubs may have gotten a Carson Kelly farewell hint in his message to fans

Carson Kelly has been an instrumental part of the Chicago Cubs since he joined the organization a couple of years ago as a free agent, emerging as the Batman to Miguel Amaya's Robin. The two have combined to form one of the stronger catching tandems in the league in that time, as Cubs catchers ranks seventh in the league in fWAR (6.9) over the past two seasons.

Thus, even with Owen Ayers waiting in the wings and Kelly set to test free agency again, it'd behoove the team to try and bring the veteran back, at least for one more year. Among all backstops since the start of 2025, he ranks 17th in wRC+ (just two spots behind Amaya) and 24th in Fielding Run Value (five spots ahead of Amaya).

However, that kind of profile will also appeal to a number of teams in free agency, many of whom can offer Kelly a full-time starting job rather than the timeshare the Cubs have subjected him to. More money is also probably out there on the open market, considering how many resources the North Siders will need to save for pitching upgrades.

As such, perhaps it's not a surprise that Kelly hit everyone with an Instagram post that says "Thank you to the fans and the city of Chicago for embracing me and my family. You made the place feel like home, and we'll always cherish our time here."

I don't know about you, but that sounds an awful lot like a goodbye to me.

Carson Kelly sound ready to move on from Cubs, but are Cubs ready to move on from him?

Even though Kelly declined his half of a mutual option for 2027 -- a mere formality, since he received a $1.5 million buyout and will make far more in free agency than the $6 million in salary he's leaving on the table -- a return shouldn't be ruled out just because he appears ready to say goodbye. Everything, from his production at the plate to the trust he's earned from the coaching staff, is worth investing in.

If the Cubs are worried about a roster crunch, they could always trade Amaya to make room for Kelly and Ayers. Even that might be a hasty solution to a problem that isn't so urgent, since the top prospect has fewer than 50 games of experience at Triple-A.

Really, his potential return to Chicago will come down to priorities. He's easily the second-best catcher on the market behind Ryan Jeffers, which will make him a top target for teams looking to shore up their situation behind the plate prior to the upcoming lockout. Will the Cubs, who have to overhaul their entire pitching staff this winter, have the bandwidth to also negotiate a new deal with Kelly at the same time?

If his social media post is anything to go by, Kelly doesn't seem to believe the answer to that question is "yes." And so, if he does walk, the pressure will fall on Amaya and Ayers to fill his mighty shoes.

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