The MLB winter is winding down, and as teams decide if they will be legitimate contenders, there is still time to make changes that do not include the free agent market. There have been rumors that the Chicago Cubs would be prepared to trade the Slugger, and that the Boston Red Sox, among other teams, would be interested. The move makes sense for both sides, as the Red Sox get a solid right-handed bat in the middle of the order, and the Cubs can free up some cost room by paying Suzuki $21 million over the following two seasons.
The Cubs might receive shortstop Franklin Arias, third baseman Romy González, and starting pitcher Brayan Bello in exchange for Seiya Suzuki. Arias is regarded as a top-50 prospect, and while the Cubs have an excellent farm system, adding more prospects isn’t a bad idea. Gonález appeared in 89 games for the Red Sox, batting.266 with 25 runs and 11 stolen bases. The Cubs could platoon Gonzalez against left-handed starters, allowing their best prospect, Matt Shaw, to develop into a competent MLB player without the strain of being the starting at third base come Opening Day.
This trade also means Boston might part ways with starter Bryan Bello, who had a 4.49 ERA in 2024 but struggled at the conclusion of the season. Suzuki also meets the Red Sox’s desire for a powerful right-handed bat. He has 20 home runs in each of the last two years and averages 26 doubles per year.