The MLB offseason has already begun for 26 of the 30 MLB teams, and while Tarik Skubal figures to get most of the attention, Seiya Suzuki might be the best position player available. Sure, that says a lot about just how disappointing this class is, but Suzuki is a great player, having slashed .269/.351/.472 with an average of 23 home runs and 76 RBI per year in his five seasons with the Chicago Cubs.
His 128 wRC+ since arriving in MLB in 2022 is tied for 24th among 349 qualified position players with Byron Buxton. He ranks ahead of guys like Bobby Witt Jr., Jose Ramirez and Ketel Marte in that span. Oh yeah, he's a Gold Glove finalist, too. Suzuki is an awesome player, and will presumably attempt to beat the five-year, $85 million deal he signed with the Cubs initially. Here's a look at some potential suitors ranked in order of the likelihood of signing him.
8. San Franicsco Giants
The San Francisco Giants entered the 2026 campaign expecting to compete for a playoff spot, but whatever optimism they had quickly vanished. They were out of postseason contention as early as any team, and finished the year with a 65-97 record. Given how poorly this season went, it wouldn't be shocking to see Buster Posey go big-name hunting to try and will this team back to contention?
It's possible, especially since they can create room in their corner outfield, but are we sure the Giants will want another hefty contract on their hands? They already owe more than $18 million annually for the next three or more years to Rafael Devers, Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Jung Hoo Lee, and I'd argue that every one of those contracts is a bad one. Suzuki is a great player, but he won't single-handedly get this team back to contention, and there's a good chance he'll eventually become another bad Giants contract.
7. Seattle Mariners
Not only did the Seattle Mariners just wrap up a wildly disappointing 76-86 season, but their best position player throughout the year, Randy Arozarena, is a free agent, and based on what's been reported, he's probably likely to depart. That's a massive blow for the Mariners, but what if they can just replace him with Suzuki?
After all, Suzuki is a better defender, and while he doesn't steal bases like Arozarena, his bat is certainly comparable to Arozarena's. Suzuki likely won't cost as much as Arozarena, giving the Mariners a chance to add elsewhere, and he'd certainly provide a needed boost in the middle of the order. Losing Arozarena would sting, but Suzuki is as good a consolation prize as Seattle could ask for.
6. New York Yankees
The New York Yankees managed to score just five runs on 12 hits in three ALDS games and were unsurprisingly swept by the Tampa Bay Rays. Sure, Aaron Judge's injury obviously hurt them, but virtually nobody other than Ben Rice showed a pulse against the Rays. New York coming up short offensively in October has been a theme, and is a huge reason why they've been unable to win a World Series despite making it to the postseason just about every year.
Suzuki would give the Yankees a middle-of-the-order bat to lean on, and as an added bonus, the fact that he hits right-handed would give them more lineup balance. There're two reasons why they're only No. 6 on this list though. First, are we sure they'll be willing to meet what'll likely be a lofty asking price from Suzuki? Second, signing Suzuki would force 31-year-old Cody Bellinger to play center field for the foreseeable future. Are we sure that's a good idea when his metrics at that position were declining before moving to left field (where he's been really good)? The bat would be a welcome addition, but his defensive fit is wonky at best.
5. Chicago White Sox
Here's where things can get painful for Cubs fans. I wouldn't say the odds of Suzuki joining the Cubs' crosstown rivals are high, but it makes a lot of sense. Not only are the Chicago White Sox in position to make a splash after their shocking postseason appearance, but they're awfully left-handed. Sam Antonacci, Munetaka Murakami, Kyle Teel, Colson Montgomery and Tristan Peters are all core players who hit left-handed, and their best right-handed hitter, not named Miguel Vargas, is Chase Meidroth. That probably should change.
A top of the lineup featuring Antonacci, Suzuki, Murakami and Vargas would be as good as any in the league. Pitching should be a priority, which is why they're only No. 5 on this list, but if Jerry Reinsdorf is willing to spend at a level he hasn't really ever, Suzuki would be a lovely fit on the South Side.
4. Cincinnati Reds
As painful as Suzuki joining the White Sox would be, it'd be even harder to watch him join the Cincinnati Reds, knowing that they're the Cubs' NL Central rivals and play Chicago 13 times annually. The Reds' reluctance to spend major money is why they're only at No. 4 (although their 2025 offseason pursuit of Kyle Schwarber should give some hope), but the fit on paper is a good one.
Despite playing half the time at Great American Ballpark, one of the most hitter-friendly parks in the league, the Reds ranked 27th in the majors in runs scored, making them one of the worst offensive teams in the sport. Their .305 team on-base percentage ranked dead last. Suzuki has a career .351 on-base percentage and has hit 20 or more home runs in four of his five MLB seasons. That'll play, and give Cincinnati much-needed protection for Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart.
3. Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs should be eager to bring Suzuki back for a couple of reasons. First, he's really good. He was a Gold Glove finalist and has been a consistent .800 OPS guy for several years now. Second, the Cubs could already be losing Ian Happ, another corner outfielder, to free agency. Pete Crow-Armstrong is locked into center field long-term, but the Cubs could be losing two very important players in their outfield this offseason, and it's not like they have an obvious replacement for either one of them.
Re-signing Happ would save the Cubs money, but Suzuki is simply a better player. The Cubs led the majors in runs scored this past season thanks largely to Suzuki's output. Should the Cubs really be willing to let such an important player go? I understand that he'll demand a lot of money and that the Cubs need to be spending on pitching, but they're a big-market team. It'd behoove them to act like one.
2. Philadelphia Phillies
Once again, the Philadelphia Phillies were eliminated from the postseason due to their inability to get much of anything going offensively. They managed to score just nine runs in three Wild Card series games, which just isn't enough in the grand scheme of things. Suzuki would not only help them in that regard, but he'd help them add much-needed lineup balance. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are their best hitters, but they're left-handed. Is Trea Turner really good enough to be a team's best right-handed hitter at this point? No, but Suzuki might be.
He'd also fill a longstanding need in the outfield. The Phillies have tried to find sparks with one-year stopgaps like Adolis Garcia and Max Kepler, but it's time for them to splurge in the outfield and give them a legitimate middle-of-the-order bat. Suzuki would be that. Would they be willing to spend what it'll take to get him? I don't know, but there's a better chance they are than most of the other teams on this list.
1. Toronto Blue Jays
There is no better fit for Seiya Suzuki than the Toronto Blue Jays, who are coming off a shockingly bad 79-83 season. Injuries played a major role, but so did their lineup, which ranked dead last in the majors in runs scored and home runs. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s down year hurt them, but really nobody other than Kazuma Okamoto met expectations.
Suzuki can fill a glaring need in their outfield (which currently consists of Nathan Lukes, Brett Bateman and Addison Barger), and give the team a much-needed power bat. Okamoto was the only Blue Jay to hit more than 15 home runs in 2026. Suzuki's .841 OPS would've led all qualified Blue Jays position players by more than 70 points. It's hard to win when you can't do damage offensively. The Jays have a ton of money coming off their books and should be extra-motivated to win after a brutal campaign. Nothing should stand in the way of their likely Suzuki pursuit. In fact, they've already reportedly shown interest in the outfield, per Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
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