Cubs signal they aren't ready to give up on forgotten offseason experiment just yet

One of the the hopeful additions the Chicago Cubs made last offseason was signing Tyler Austin. After spending the last six seasons in Japan, the hope was that Austin's revamped power approach could give the Cubs a platoon partner with Michael Busch at first base, and another option for their DH rotation. Instead, Austin had knee surgery in spring training and wasn't heard from since.

With Austin eligible for arbitration this offseason, it felt like an obvious case of a player the team was going to non-tender. After missing the entire 2026 season, it would have been foolish for the Cubs to sacrifice money of consequence with the hope that he could be a contributor in 2027. As it turns out, the Cubs may not be ready to end the experiment just yet.

Updating their transaction log, the Cubs have announced that they have outrighted Austin off their 40-man roster. With the number of free agents the Cubs have this offseason, they already had open 40-man roster spots, so there wasn't a need to clear space. If anything, this feels like a move that happens before Austin's contract is reworked.

Cubs may not be ready to give up on Tyler Austin just yet

Austin can reject the assignment and become a free agent, but he also could accept the assignment while being optioned to Triple-A Iowa. It's a procedural move for the offseason, but the takeaway is that Austin's contract with the Cubs would convert to a minor-league deal. It would seem that the Cubs are hopeful for that outcome.

To be clear, there's unlikely to be another team overwhelmed by Austin's availability this offseason, but if he does become a free agent, he could also return to Japan where he's thrived since 2020.

If Austin is healthy, there's a case that he would be open to the idea of remaining with the Cubs. Even though he would be off the 40-man roster, this is a Cubs team that will need to reconstruct their bench this offseason. Austin would certainly be in the mix for a spot, and for the same reasons the Cubs were interested in him last offseason, he makes sense as a low-risk gamble in 2027.

Regardless, there should be clarity on Austin's status by the end of the week. Yes, the Cubs have far more pressing items to address, but finding a diamond in the rough like Austin may be how the team goes about addressing their offense this winter.

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