Seiya Suzuki replacing Kyle Tucker in right field feels like a very likely scenario

Most Cubs fans will tell someone that they would rather not see Seiya Suzuki in the outfield. Suzuki had gone from the regular right fielder in 2022-2023 to the primary DH by 2025. Several costly errors in 2023-2024 escalated the need to make a change. Last year, he played 102 of 151 games at DH, with 32 in right, 15 in left, and one in center.

A handful of games in the field might not be a big deal, but there is a very real scenario in which Suzuki finds himself playing regularly in right field again - and it involves top prospect Moises Ballesteros.

Assuming the Cubs spend a majority of their funds on pitching this winter, the lineup could be supplemented with internal options, including the likes of Ballesteros. The 22-year-old raked in Triple-A Iowa last year and hit .298/.394/.474 with two homers and 11 RBI in 20 MLB games. He played 18 of those 20 games as a DH.

He's a very promising bat without a solidified position at this time. While he was primarily a catcher in the Minors, there was plenty of skepticism about his ability to handle it in the Majors regularly when he came up. A healthy Miguel Amaya and Carson Kelly take care of the catching. He's also played some first base in the minors, but that is Michael Busch's spot, and Ballesteros has never played outfield. Say the Cubs are high enough on his bat that they want him to be part of the equation. This likely requires him to spend a chunk of time at DH.

If Ballesteros is DHing, and if they want Suzuki in the lineup, he will have to return to the outfield. It might not be every game if Craig Counsell wants Ballesteros to be in lineups facing righties, but it could mean Suzuki spending more time in the outfield than last year. Assuming Ballesteros is having sustained success in the big leagues in 2026 in this scenario.

Seiya Suzuki's bat could make him at least palatable back in right field

Suzuki's time in the outfield last year was nothing spectacular, with a -5 DRS (defensive runs saved) between all outfield positions he played. Noting his overall OAA (outs above average) was right at 0 with a -1 FRV (Statcast Fielding Run Value in runs above average), which is not amazing but not unspeakably awful either. In terms of DRS, OAA, and FRV compared to all outfielders in baseball who played at least 400 innings, it's pretty middle of the road. However, it is. a smaller sample size compared to others.

Suzuki is a career -6 OAA and DRS and -8 FRV. His errors are ugly and are magnified by the timing of some of them. However, he is not among the very worst statistically. Go look at Nick Castellanos, an everyday outfielder, if you want to see really rough defensive metrics. At best, Suzuki is a "so-so" fielder who can occasionally make some big plays. It's not ideal to have him out there, but you could do worse. For what it's worth, he's a career .836 OPS and 131 wRC+ hitter as a right fielder vs. a .775 OPS and 118 wRC+ hitter as a DH.

In a perfect world where this scenario plays out, sacrificing a bit of defense in right for Suzuki's bat at his best and a young, productive lefty basher in Ballesteros DHing seems worth it. Counsell could also make defensive changes late in close ballgames, so the late-inning scenarios do not hinge on Suzuki being out there. This is all of course, one scenario of many possibilities the Cubs structure their lineup in 2026.