Cubs’ $85 Million Slugger Offers 1-Word Response On Final Game Before Offseason Exit
The Chicago Cubs have clinched their playoff berth, giving the organization an opportunity to turn its attention toward October before it has to confront several important offseason decisions.
But when the time comes for the team to determine the shape of its roster going into future seasons, one of the biggest decisions will involve Seiya Suzuki, whose $85 million contract is nearing its conclusion after four seasons in Chicago.
Suzuki has emerged as one of the Cubs’ most important offensive players since arriving from Japan, and his potential free agency comes after his best season in the majors.
At the same time, Chicago’s final regular-season home game provided a reminder that Suzuki isn’t the only veteran whose future could be changing. Ian Happ, a first-round pick by the Cubs in 2015 and another longtime fixture at Wrigley Field, is also headed toward free agency.
“In less than two months, Suzuki will officially reach free agency,” Leo Morgenstern reported for MLB Trade Rumors. “He’ll be coming off his very best MLB season. He will certainly command a higher salary than we thought he would five years ago.”
With Suzuki searching for a new contract, he enjoyed what appeared to be his final regular season game at Wrigley Field earlier this week and offered a brief message on what it meant to him.
On Thursday, as the Cubs prepared for their final home game of the regular season, pending free agent Ian Happ offered a heartfelt message as he prepared to play what could be his final game in front of the fans who had embraced him for so many years.
“This is the last controllable day here,” Happ told ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “I’ll take it in. It’s crazy. 10 years of memories. There will be emotions. I want to savor it. There’s no fanbase more supportive of its players.”
Then, shortly afterward, Suzuki sent his own one-word response on the final game by echoing Happ’s sentiment.
“I didn’t have the team interpreter around but Seiya Suzuki indicated similar to me,” Rogers added. “He’s also a free agent: ‘Savor'”
Suzuki’s response might have been brief, but it showed a desire to share one of the key words from his teammate’s goodbye message in English and could serve as the final response the slugger offers before formally leaving the team in free agency.
After being posted by the Hiroshima Carp following the 2021 season, Suzuki agreed to a five-year, $85 million contract with the Cubs in March 2022. Chicago also paid a posting fee to acquire the Japanese star, making the commitment a substantial investment in a player who had already established himself as an All-Star in Japan.
Suzuki has since developed into a key part of Chicago’s lineup. His power and ability to impact games from the middle of the order have made him an important component of the Cubs’ rise back into postseason contention.
Now, however, Chicago must determine how much it wants to invest in his next contract.
Suzuki’s “savor” response suggests he isn’t rushing to make that decision. With the playoffs ahead and free agency looming, he has an opportunity to appreciate what could be his final days under his current Cubs contract before determining where his career goes next.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
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