3 Cubs players whose no-trade clauses could complicate the offseason

The Chicago Cubs are about to embark on yet another murky offseason where the team will likely be unable to make significant additions to the lineup due to several no-trade clauses on the payroll.

As things stand, next year's Cubs lineup will probably look very similar to the one we saw in 2024. Michael Busch has carved himself out a nice role at first base, where he has excelled on defense and proved himself to be a fairly capable hitter. Pete Crow-Armstrong has used his unbelievable speed and glovework to claim center field. Obviously, his bat is a concern. But the team has shown they are willing to give Crow-Armstrong time to develop as a hitter, and we've seen the 22-year-old taking major steps forward in that area in recent months.

At the hot corner, it would be foolish to move on from Isaac Paredes until he is given more time to settle in, especially given the players the Cubs used to land the third baseman. Cody Bellinger seems likely to opt in to his contract for 2025 after a relatively down year plagued by a finger injury. The catcher position seems like the only one that can be seriously upgraded, especially when you take these four no-trade clauses on the books into account.