Cubs offseason might bring a reunion rumor that no one’s buying

There's an assumption that if Kyle Tucker does not return to the Chicago Cubs next season, the Cubs will roll out a starting lineup that includes Owen Caissie and Seiya Suzuki occupying right field and designated hitter. It makes sense, considering Caissie is ready for a run at the Major League level, and right field would be open. That said, if the Cubs are planning on contending in 2026, they will need to replace Tucker's offense.

Expecting Caissie to be inserted into the starting lineup and immediately replicate the production Tucker had during the first half of the 2025 season would be an egregious mistake. For as dreadful as Tucker's end-of-season looked, the fact remains the Cubs aren't in the playoffs without his MVP pace during the opening months of the year.

So while pitching is going to be the theme of the Cubs' offseason, finding a creative way to upgrade their lineup will likely be on the agenda as well. The easiest way would be for the Cubs to pursue Alex Bregman to play third base, and then Matt Shaw in a utility role next season.

Even if the Cubs do rekindle their interest in Bregman, they will need a fallback option. The Boston Red Sox remain the favorites to sign Bregman, and history already proves the Cubs won't win a bidding war. As unlikely as it will be, one rumor will see the Cubs being among the bidders for Kyle Schwarber this offseason.

This Cubs reunion rumor is predictable, tired, and still not happening

New York Post's Jon Heyman suggested toward the end of the regular season that the Cubs may have an interest in a reunion with Schwarber, and doubled down on that idea during a recent chat with Bleacher Report. Heyman has the Philadelphia Phillies, Cubs, Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, and San Francisco Giants as potential suitors for Schwarber.

As is the case with Bregman, the overwhelming indication is that Schwarber will be back with the team he finished the 2025 season with--the Phillies. The Phillies haven't been shy about expressing their desire to keep Schwarber, and it feels like the two sides will eventually find common ground on a new deal.

For all the talk about how Wrigley Field has treated hitters, Schwarber's power certainly would be the exception, but even if the money is equal between the Cubs and Phillies, it feels like the 32-year-old is at a point in his career where he would prefer a return to Philadelphia instead of Chicago.