The Los Angeles Dodgers rarely sit out a market for a productive veteran bat, and Seiya Suzuki may give them another chance this winter to add a proven right-handed hitter while the Chicago Cubs weigh whether they can afford to keep him.
Suzuki, 32, is wrapping up the final season of a five-year, $85 million contract he signed with the Cubs in 2022. In 2026 he has hit .270 with a .368 on-base percentage, .473 slugging percentage, 26 home runs, 86 RBIs and 96 runs.
It is his strongest major league season and has placed him among the top position-player options in a relatively thin free-agent class.
Chicago also has outfielder Ian Happ heading toward free agency. The Cubs are not expected to retain both veterans at full market value, which could push Suzuki onto an open market that includes clubs with far more payroll flexibility.
A Sept. 7 projection from Cubbies Crib put Suzuki’s next contract in the $150 million range. The site compared him with Cody Bellinger’s five-year, $162.5 million deal and argued that a $150 million threshold is more realistic than many fans assume.
That would more than double the guarantee Suzuki received when he first arrived from Japan.
The Dodgers have the resources to meet that price. They also have a cultural and roster fit that few teams can match. Los Angeles already features Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.
For a player who has spent his entire MLB career in Chicago, that infrastructure — language support, established teammates and a large Japanese fan base — could matter as much as the dollars.
On the field, Suzuki would give the Dodgers another right-handed bat who can play right field or designated hitter. Los Angeles has outfield prospects approaching the majors, which makes a mid-length deal more attractive than a longer one.
Suzuki would not have to block those younger players forever. He would only have to stabilize the middle of the lineup while the farm system arrives.
The drawbacks are familiar. Suzuki will be 33 next August. His defense has improved but is not a strength. A qualifying offer from the Cubs would cost the signing team a draft pick. The Dodgers also have a crowded roster and a habit of adding stars even when the depth chart looks full.
Still, few available hitters combine Suzuki’s consistency, on-base skill and right-handed power. If Los Angeles wants another established bat without waiting on prospects to fully mature, poaching Suzuki from the Cubs would be a natural move.
Cubbies Crib’s projection suggests the bidding will start high.
