The Chicago Cubs have quite the shopping list this offseason if they want to remain contenders in 2026. They’re set to lose key contributors in the rotation (Shota Imanaga), bullpen (Brad Keller, Drew Pomeranz, and Andrew Kittredge), and the middle of the lineup (Kyle Tucker). The looming CBA negotiations will affect their approach to roster construction, and certainly, their payroll going beyond 2026.
One area that was a cause for concern prior to the 2025 season was third base. The dominos started to fall at the 2024 trade deadline when the Cubs shipped third baseman Christopher Morel to the Rays for Isaac Paredes. After a subpar two months in Chicago, Parades was included in the package that also sent third base prospect Cam Smith to Houston for Kyle Tucker. This left a hole at third base that ended up being filled by 2023 first-round pick Matt Shaw.
Although the team lazily pursued Alex Bregman, Shaw seemed to be Plan A without any solid fallback. Even at the time, handing the job to a rookie seemed risky for a team intent on competing. Shaw had a few hot streaks, but he looked largely overmatched in his first season. His .690 OPS is encouraging enough for his long-term outlook, but the Cubs cannot afford another year of growing pains for the 23=year-old. If Owen Caissie is the Cubs’ plan to fill Tucker’s spot in the outfield, they need a dependable bat to fill in somewhere else. If they choose to add another third base option, here are the most intriguing free agent options available:.
Alex Bregman
Last season, the Cubs were listed as one of the three finalists for Bregman alongside the Red Sox and the Tigers. Bregman opted to go with the short-term, high-AAV contract with Boston that included a few opt-outs. He spent some time on the IL in 2025, but outside of that, he was a key contributor on a playoff-bound Red Sox team. Bregman made his third All-Star team, and ended the year with 3.5 WAR and an .821 OPS across 114 games. The Boras client will be seeking long-term security this winter, and for the soon-to-be 32-year-old, the magic number seems to be six years and about $150 million. Even at 32, Bregman is the type of player that should age well. He has excellent knowledge of the strike zone, and has a lengthy track record of putting the ball in play with high exit velocities. Defensively, he won his first Gold Glove in 2024 and has put up above-average defensive numbers throughout his career.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
In a lineup that has a bit of swing and miss, Bregman is the type of hitter the Cubs desperately need. He likely won’t be leading the team in home runs, but he should be able to challenge Nico Hoerner for the team lead in batting average. Outside of his personal success, Bregman knows how to be part of a winning ballclub. The Astros have been a mainstay in the playoffs since Bregman’s first full-time season in 2017, and Boston made their first playoff appearance since 2021 after they signed him as a free agent. Depending on how you feel about Matt Shaw, this might be good news or bad news, but Bregman would likely make Shaw expendable. The Cubs can sign Bregman, and use Shaw as part of a package to get a high-end starter off the trade market. In an offseason where there are few impact free-agent starters after Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez, this might be a path worth exploring.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
Like I just mentioned, replacing former first-round pick and top prospect Matt Shaw after a subpar rookie year might be an overreaction. Bregman and Shaw had similar prospect profiles, so an optimistic Cubs fan or frugal ownership might believe that Shaw can replicate Bregman’s production eventually. The CBA negotiations are also a knock against signing him. If the 2027 season is affected in any way, likely by a reduction in games, whoever signs Bregman could be paying him for a lost season. That would be a huge blow for a player in his age-33 season. Most of Bregman’s production will likely come in the front half of his contract, and with the uncertainty beyond 2026, it adds an extra layer of risk.
It’s official. The Yomiuri Giants of the NPB are posting their star corner infielder. Since becoming a mainstay in the Giants’ lineup in 2018, Okamoto has shown a plus ability to hit for both power and average. From 2018-2023, he hit over 30 home runs each season (41 in 2023). His career batting average in the NPB is .277 with an OPS of .882. He has shown an ability to draw more walks and limit strikeouts as his career progressed overseas. His projected contract, according to Bleacher Report, is four years at $64 million. He has a chance to be an impact bat without breaking the bank.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
Since Hee-Seop Choi in 2002, the Cubs have always been a popular destination for Asian imports. Whether it be from the NPB or KBO, the Cubs do a decent job at turning these players into solid major leaguers. Okamoto’s ability to hit for average as well as power makes him a fit in a lineup that currently lacks in both of those departments. Some see him transitioning to the MLB as a first baseman rather than a third baseman, but even if first is his best defensive position, there will be playing time with the way the roster currently sits. He can rotate between DH, third base, and first base when Michael Busch needs a break.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
With so many question marks in the Cubs lineup, it would make more sense to target someone who has produced at a high level in the MLB before. When it comes to position players, the Asian market has a far less spectacular track record in the MLB than the pitchers do. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen notes that Okamoto struggles with fastballs above 93 mph. With the average MLB fastball sitting just over 94 mph, this is a glaring area of concern. We have seen some of these imports make the necessary adjustments to square up a MLB fastball, but it seems like there are more failures than success stories. Over the last decade, we have seen numerous flops coming over from Asia with a similar profile to Okamoto: Jung Ho Kang (PIT), Yoshi Tsutsugo (TB), and Hyun Soo Kim (PHI), to name a few. Okamoto would be quite the gamble, and the Cubs should probably stop gambling and sign a proven big leaguer.
The 25-year-old NPB slugger has been on the minds of MLB organizations and fans alike for a few years now. His 80-grade power from the left side draws comparisons to fellow countryman Shohei Ohtani and Cub-that-got-away Kyle Schwarber. Although the two-time NPB MVP has a triple crown to his name and 246 home runs, his strikeout concerns are on the same level as Adam Dunn and Joey Gallo. In his two MVP seasons, Murakami had a 21% strikeout percentage. Since then, it has increased to over 28%, a troubling trend since NPB players don’t usually tend to strikeout less after coming stateside.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
When it comes to a dependable left-handed power bat, the Cubs only have Michael Busch. Maybe Pete Crow-Armstrong reverts back to the player he was in the first half of 2025, but it’s possible we won’t see those offensive numbers from him again. There are also few left-handed power bats on the market. Tucker, Schwarber, and Cody Bellinger likely won’t be pursued too aggressively by Chicago. First basemen Ryan O’Hearn and Josh Naylor don’t have a place on the current roster either.
Nonetheless, Murakami has more raw power than all of those guys outside of Schwarber. One might think it doesn’t make sense for the Cubs to pay Murakami when Schwarber is on the market, but Schwarber has made it clear he would love to stay in Philadelphia, and is seven years older than Murakami. The Japanese phenom would be part of the long-term future, as his projected contract is eight years and $180 million. Would Jed Hoyer want to give one of the largest contracts in franchise history to a guy who has never played in the MLB before? I think we know the answer, which should temper fans’ expectations.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
There are questions surrounding Murakami’s defense at third base, which is good news for Matt Shaw. If the Cubs do pursue him, he will likely get a bulk of his at bats at the DH position. He can also be the second-string first baseman after Busch. If the bat plays like many think it will, the Cubs have the flexibility to get him into the lineup. This is still a massive gamble, much more than Okamoto due to the length and value of the contract. When a player doesn’t have a real defensive home, the expectations for the bat are very high. If the Cubs had a rich lineup of established sluggers, they could afford to take a risk on a player like this, but they don’t have that kind of long-term stability. There will be immediate pressure on Murakami to lead the offense immediately. To put it into perspective, he could sit comfortably in the six-hole if he signs with Dodgers, but if he goes to Chicago, he will likely be hitting in the two or three spot on Opening Day.
After seeing the package Arizona received from Seattle at the trade deadline, it’s hard to believe that Hoyer even gave Mike Hazen and the Diamondbacks a call about Suarez. This should be considered another example of blatant malpractice, but the Cubs have another chance to acquire the slugging third baseman fresh off a 49 home run season. Although he hit only .189 in the regular season after the trade, he still bashed 13 home runs, and an additional three in the playoffs including an absurdly clutch grand slam.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
Suarez might be the cheapest way to get elite, bankable power on the free-agent market. Bleacher Report has his projected contract around three years and worth $63 million. Other plus power hitters like Schwarber, Pete Alonso, Cody Bellinger, and Tucker are all projected to earn at least double the money that Suarez is looking at. Suarez is turning 35 next July, and has seen his defensive ability decline over the past few seasons. However, if Suarez plays half his games at DH, Shaw will still get enough playing time to hopefully prove to fans that he is the long-term answer at third.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
Ample due diligence is required to hand out a multi-year deal to a player in his mid-30s. He strikes out a lot, and that is an understatement. In 2019, 2022, and 2023, he led the league in strikeouts. which could be a problem for a Cubs team that already struggles with giving up free outs. Since the end of the Joe Maddon days with the previous core, we have seen the Cubs’ offense consistently live and die by the home run. It may make sense to target more of a table setter, but when you remove Tucker’s power from the lineup, it needs to be replaced somehow.
I truly hate to say it, but this seems like the most believable option here, considering the way the front office operates. DeJong only played in 57 games with the Nationals in 2025 due to injury, but he launched 24 home runs in 2024, mostly with the White Sox. At this point in his career, the 32-year-old is not an everyday player, but his pop and ability to play all four infield positions will make him an attractive bench piece. In 2025, his one-year deal with Washington was worth $1 million, and he did not exactly raise his stock, so a similar deal should be in play this season.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
DeJong will allow the Cubs to roll Shaw out there for the bulk of the season. He will assume a utility infielder role as well as the go-to right-handed pinch hitter job off the bench. Should Shaw struggle again, DeJong is a better fallback option offensively than the light-hitting backup options we saw in 2025.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
If the Cubs go out and sign an impact bat as well as DeJong, this would be a great fit, especially if Chicago can get him on a minor-league contract. If Plan A is Owen Caissie in right field, with DeJong and Shaw splitting time at third base, that will be quite the uninspiring attempt at filling the Tucker-sized hole in the lineup. DeJong would only be a poor addition for the Cubs if he is the only addition.
Similar to DeJong, Moncada is best used as a part-time player. The 2025 campaign was his first season away from Chicago, and he posted a solid .783 OPS in 84 games. He hasn’t been too much of an offensive contributor outside of his 2019 season where he hit .315 with 25 home runs, but he has still shown an ability to hit at a decent clip a few times since then. Outside of his rookie season and 2022, his OPS has been above .700 every year. It’s also never a bad thing to add another switch hitter to the lineup.
Why he makes sense for the Cubs:
Although he doesn’t have the power and defensive versatility as DeJong; he’s still a former generational prospect who is used to playing in Chicago. Maybe the Wrigley Field vibes help the 30-year-old turn back the clock and become a bit more like the player the White Sox thought they had.
Why he doesn’t make sense for the Cubs:
Moncada doesn’t move the needle much. He is another Plan B option behind Matt Shaw. If there is a bigger move made in conjunction, like signing a top free agent outfielder or DH, Moncada would be a fine depth signing. Counting on him for anything more would be a non-competitive move.