The Chicago Cubs have plenty of options when deciding how to improve their lineup this offseason.

Most fans feel like the first option should be re-signing Kyle Tucker, given how valuable Tucker was to the team’s run to the 2025 NLDS. However, there’s a very slim chance that Chicago’s front office would give Tucker anything close to $400 (which he’s expected to command this winter), since they’ve never given a player more than $184 million.

So if Tucker is destined to sign elsewhere, the Cubs will need to seek other options to replace his offensive production. Perhaps the two most intriguing candidates are both former Cubs: Kyle Schwarber and Cody Bellinger.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger (35) / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Schwarber (who made his MLB debut with Chicago and played there from 2015 to 2020) is coming off a career year where he blasted 56 home runs and tallied 132 RBIs in the 2025 regular season. But because he’s several years older than Tucker and plays DH, he would be a lot cheaper to sign this offseason.

As for Bellinger, he spent the 2024 season in Chicago before the Cubs traded him to the New York Yankees last offseason. Bellinger had a solid year in New York (hitting .272 with an .814 OPS, 29 home runs, and 98 RBIs in the regular season), and then declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent.

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Reports indicate that Chicago traded Bellinger because the front office didn’t think they needed both him and Tucker in the outfield (and didn’t want to pay both guys’ salaries), as they executed a trade for Tucker a few days before dealing Bellinger.

However, Tucker’s likely leaving opens the door for Bellinger to return. And not only might Bellinger be open to returning to Chicago, but his wife would seemingly be stoked about this reunion, given a comment Cubs insider Bruce Levine made in a November 4 article from Marquee Sports Network.

Levine first included a quote from Bellinger back in August, saying, “I loved my time with the Cubs. I made a lot of amazing friends. I have been lucky to play for three amazing organizations — now the journey will continue.”

He then wrote, “Bellinger also told me how much his wife enjoyed the Chicago experience while he was a Cub.”

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The fact that Bellinger’s wife, Chase Carter (with whom Bellinger has two children) seemingly has an affinity for Chicago could be the final push Bellinger needs to agree to returning to the team.

It’s at least one factor working in Chicago’s favor when trying to replace Tucker this winter.

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