The Chicago Cubs season came to a close over the weekend with a crushing defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 5 of the NLDS after a comeback effort, which, while admirable, fell short.
Now, the page turns to the offseason as they try to figure out what next season’s team is going to look like, meaning who will stay and who will go. That conversation throughout the year has understandably revolved around star outfielder Kyle Tucker, and the writing appears to be on the wall for his status.
It certainly appears Tucker is on his way out based on the way he finished the season and his words since the campaign has come to a close. If Chicago does need to replace him, here are some logical candidates, both internal and external, that could make a lot of sense.
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Anyone up for a reunion?
Though Bellinger had a down season in 2024 with the Cubs, he bounced back in a huge way for the Yankees in 2025 after Chicago sent him away in a salary dump. The 30-year-old slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a very impressive bWAR of 5.0 with New York over the course of 152 games/.
Bellinger is going to opt out of his deal with the Yankees and become a free agent again, and while a return to the Bronx may be likely, the former National League MVP will at the very least field his options.
In reality, the kind of player Bellinger was in 2025 is similar to what the Cubs got out of Tucker, so this could be the most seamless transition at a likely fraction of the price and length of commitment.
Owen Caissie and Kevin Alcantara
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If Chicago wants to go with a straight internal replacement without shaking things up too significantly in their starting lineup, there are two outstanding internal options in Caissie and Alcantara. Though the logjam there makes it possible that at least one is traded, the organization is clearly high on both, and this seems to be a likely outcome.
As the top prospect in the farm system, Caissie — who slashed .286/.386/.551 across 99 Triple-A games this season — has the advantage, but Alcantara is the better fielder, and if his bat develops even further, he could be dangerous.
A young platoon is not out of the realm of possibility in the outfield in what will be a major youth movement overall for the Cubs next year.
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Needless to say, Ballesteros won’t be playing the outfield, but Suzuki, who served as the team’s main designated hitter this year once Tucker arrived, would love to move back to the outfield. Ballesteros, meanwhile, is not a good defensive catcher, and first base is occupied by Michael Busch.
The young slugger may be destined for a long-term DH role either way, but his bat was also too impressive in Triple-A last year not to be a factor. In a 20-game sample size, the 21-year-old did not look overwhelmed at all in the big leagues and slashed .298/.394/.474 with two home runs and 11 RBI, already posting a 0.5 bWAR.
Slashing .316/.385/.473 across 114 Triple-A games, Ballesteros has gotten to a point where he is too good to keep out of the lineup, and if he occupies the DH spot regularly, Suzuki should slide right back to right field into his old spot.
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