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Seiya Suzuki Receives Qualifying Offer From Cubs
As expected, outfielder Seiya Suzuki received a one-year, $23.15 million qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Suzuki will almost certainly decline the offer and enter the free-agent market this winter as one of the top free-agent outfield bats available. It remains to be seen if Chicago is serious about re-signing the 32-year-old, who had another strong season in 2026 in his fifth year in the majors, slashing .270/.368/.473 with an .841 OPS, 26 home runs, 86 RBI, 96 runs scored, and three stolen bases in 143 games across 634 plate appearances. Suzuki sold out for power in 2025 with a career-low .245 batting average (140-for-571), but he did produce career highs in home runs (32) and RBI (103) in 151 regular-season games played. In addition to being a consistent power bat in the outfield, Suzuki has graded out well defensively in right field, which will make him even more attractive on the open market this offseason. If he declines the Cubs' qualifying offer (he should), the Cubs will receive draft-pick compensation if he signs elsewhere.
Source: New York Post - Joel Sherman
Source: New York Post - Joel Sherman
Pete Crow-Armstrong Wins Second Gold Glove Award
In addition to hitting 40 home runs and stealing 40 bases in 2026, Chicago Cubs All-Star outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong won his second Gold Glove Award in center field after leading baseball with 26 outs above average, according to Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru of MLB.com. PCA also ranked sixth among outfielders in baseball with 10 defensive runs saved. The 24-year-old two-time All-Star is the favorite to take home the National League MVP Award this year after slashing .280/.372/.570 with a .943 OPS, 107 RBI, and 119 runs scored, in addition to his league-leading 45 home runs and 41 stolen bases in 162 games across 726 plate appearances. Crow-Armstrong also led the league in slugging (.570), OPS (.943), and total bases (357). The other Gold Glove winners in the NL were Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, Braves first baseman Matt Olson, Brewers second baseman Brice Turang, Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman, Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio, Diamondbacks right fielder Corbin Carroll, Mets pitcher Nolan McLean, and Braves utility man Mauricio Dubon.
Source: MLB.com - Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
Source: MLB.com - Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru
Josiah Hartshorn Homers Again, Dynasty Arrow Still Pointing Up
Chicago Cubs first base/outfield prospect Josiah Hartshorn parlayed his regular-season success into postseason success, registering an impressive performance in Game 1 of the High-A playoffs on Tuesday, albeit in a losing effort. The South Bend Cubs lost 8-3 to High-A Quad Cities, but Hartshorn went 3-for-5 with a solo home run in the contest. The Cubs' top-ranked prospect (MLB No. 39) began the season at Single-A and was promoted to High-A after just 39 games, proceeding to excel at the next level. The 2025 sixth-round draft pick hit .297 with 18 home runs and 12 steals in 83 games, while his .965 OPS led the entire Midwest League. The switch-hitter boasts big power, and although his strikeout rate increased with the advancement to High-A, it was still just 21.4 percent, while he continued to display a keen eye, walking at a 14.6 percent rate. Look for the 19-year-old to potentially make a run at Triple-A at some point next season, and debut in 2028. With an arrow pointing up, managers in dynasty leagues, especially those looking for some future power production, should be looking to stash him away if still available.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Ian Happ Returns to Cubs Lineup on Tuesday
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (knee) returned to his team's lineup for their matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday. Happ was held out of Chicago's game against the Brewers due to left knee discomfort, but it appears that he is not dealing with a serious injury. Across 579 plate appearances entering play on Monday, Happ was hitting .221/.327/.416 with 23 home runs, 64 RBI, 81 runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 32-year-old's batting average is weighed down by his elevated 30.4% strikeout rate, but Happ's 12.4% walk rate and elite defense in left field keep him in the Cubs lineup every day when healthy. Happ has also been exceptionally durable in his career, as he looks to be on track to top 650 plate appearances for the fifth consecutive season in 2026. Now that he's back in the Cubs lineup, Happ profiles as a quality source of power and run production for fantasy managers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Ian Happ Absent on Monday With Knee Injury
Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ (knee) was held out of the team's starting lineup for Monday's series opener in Milwaukee against the division-rival Brewers due to discomfort in his left knee, according to MLB.com. Happ is considered day-to-day for now with a minor injury, so fantasy managers should check back on Tuesday to see if the 32-year-old veteran is feeling good enough to return to action. With Happ sitting on Monday, Tyrone Taylor made the start in left field for the Cubbies. The switch-hitting Happ has hit .221/.326/.416 with a .743 OPS, 23 home runs, 64 RBI, 81 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 138 games across 577 plate appearances in 2026 in his 10th year in the big leagues with the Cubs. He needs just three more home runs to set a new career high in that category, but he has really struggled from the right side of the plate against southpaws, slashing .152/.226/.280 with a .506 OPS and only four of his 23 home runs in 138 plate appearances. Happ's power has also been down in the second half, with six homers and 22 RBI in 46 games compared to 17 homers and 42 RBI in 92 games in the first half.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Pete Crow-Armstrong Slugs Three Homers in Blowout Win
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong helped his case in the National League MVP race with his performance against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. Crow-Armstrong went 4-for-6 at the plate with three home runs and six RBI in the blowout win. This was the first three-homer game for PCA during his young career. He started the first inning with a bang when he took Andrew Abbott deep for a solo shot. It didn't take long for Crow-Armstrong to homer again as he got Abbott again in the second frame. In his finale, he connected on a three-run shot off reliever Tony Santillan in the seventh inning. The 24-year-old is slashing .282/.377/.567 with 36 homers, 89 RBI, and 32 stolen bases this season. He'll continue to battle with Shohei Ohtani for the MVP award during the final month of the season.
Source: mlb.com
Source: mlb.com
Seiya Suzuki Continues to Produce for Fantasy Managers
Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki may not reach the heights that he showed last season, when he hit a career-high 32 home runs and drove in 103 runs in 151 regular-season games, but his fantasy managers are not really complaining in 2026. After going 3-for-5 at the plate with two doubles, two RBI, two runs scored, and a walk in Friday's 10-8 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field, the Japanese outfielder is now slashing .274/.366/.484 on the year with a career-high .851 OPS, 22 home runs, 77 RBI, 78 runs scored, and three stolen bases across 117 games and 516 plate appearances in his fifth year in the big leagues. The 32-year-old veteran has three multi-hit games in his last five contests for a 1.173 OPS during that span. Suzuki is hitting .285 (41-for-144) with seven home runs in 37 games since the All-Star break and sports a .287/.385/.521 slash line with a .907 OPS, four homers, 10 doubles, 17 RBI, 19 runs scored, and two steals in 24 games in August. If he can keep this up going into September, Suzuki could be the difference for fantasy managers chasing championships.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Matt Shaw Activated off Injured List on Friday
Chicago Cubs infielder/outfielder Matt Shaw (hand) was activated off the 10-day Injured List ahead of Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. Shaw has been out of action since late June due to a sprained left hand. He was hitting the ball well during his rehab assignment and appears ready to make an impact in Chicago again. It's unclear how Shaw is going to fit into the puzzle down the stretch of the season. Pedro Ramirez is playing very well, so it'll be tough for Shaw to cut into his playing time. Through 56 games, Shaw is slashing .246/.322/.415 with four home runs, 20 RBI, and four steals. Given he probably won't have a full-time role, Shaw is only worth considering in deep leagues. In a corresponding move, outfielder Kevin Alcantara was optioned to Triple-A Iowa.
Source: Chicago Cubs
Source: Chicago Cubs
Cubs Promoting Outfield Prospect Ethan Conrad to High-A
The Chicago Cubs are promoting outfield prospect Ethan Conrad to High-A South Bend, according to Chase Ford of Milb Central. Conrad, the 17th overall pick last year from Wake Forest University, earned the promotion late in the season after hitting .246/.325/.436 with a .762 OPS, four home runs, 21 RBI, and 14 runs scored in 29 games and 123 plate appearances at Single-A Myrtle Beach. The 6-foot-2, 220-pound left-handed hitter is ranked as the Cubs' No. 3 prospect at MLB Pipeline, behind only outfielder/first baseman Josiah Hartshorn and catcher/first baseman Owen Ayers. Conrad has a solid gap-to-gap approach at the plate and makes a lot of hard contact, but like many young hitting prospects, he can get over-aggressive. The 22-year-old has a solid power/speed profile right now in the low levels of the minor leagues, with a chance to develop more with added strength. Conrad has plenty of developing to do and probably won't be a realistic candidate to make his major-league debut until 2028.
Source: Milb Central - Chase Ford
Source: Milb Central - Chase Ford
Pete Crow-Armstrong Continues MVP-Caliber Season With Two-Homer Performance
Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong went toe-to-toe with four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Wednesday's 7-6 win at Wrigley Field. Both Crow-Armstrong and Ohtani hit two home runs apiece, with Crow-Armstrong going 3-for-5 in the leadoff spot with four RBI and a strikeout. After a slow start to the 2026 campaign, the 24-year-old left-handed slugger has been heating up since June. The two-time All-Star came into Wednesday's action with a .284/.384/.535 slash line with a .919 OPS, 24 home runs, 65 RBI, 28 stolen bases, and 76 runs scored across 426 at-bats. Crow-Armstrong has now gone 7-for-17 with two home runs, a double, a triple, six RBI, and seven runs scored in his first five games in August as he continues to stay locked in at the dish. He's now up to three multi-homer games in 2026 and nine for his career. While PCA's numbers look great, his .257 xBA and .364 xwOBA predict regression to close out the campaign.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Blue Jays Acquire Shortstop Prospect Ty Southisene From Cubs
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired shortstop prospect Ty Southisene and outfield prospect Brett Bateman from the Chicago Cubs on Sunday in exchange for veteran right-hander Kevin Gausman, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. The 21-year-old Southisene is already ranked as Toronto's No. 17 prospect after hitting a combined .311/.431/.378 with an .809 OPS, zero home runs, 35 RBI, 31 stolen bases, and 58 runs in 65 games (314 plate appearances) with Single-A Myrtle Beach and High-A South Bend in 2026. The 21-year-old former fourth-rounder in 2024 stands at only 5-foot-7, 170 pounds and is extremely patient at the plate and makes a lot of contact. His power is virtually non-existent, though, making him primarily a stolen base asset who is likely a year or two away from a potential MLB debut. Bateman, 24, is now Toronto's No. 20 prospect. The former eighth-rounder in 2023 from the University of Minnesota hit .312/.431/.422 with an .853 OPS, three homers, 33 RBI, 20 stolen bases, and 58 runs in 81 games for Triple-A Iowa before the trade. Although Bateman is left-handed, he has a very similar profile to Southisene in that he lacks any real power upside and features plus-plus speed on the basepaths.
Source: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
Source: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
Josiah Hartshorn Continues Impressive Debut Season with 16th Long Ball
Chicago Cubs first base/outfield prospect Josiah Hartshorn turned in another stellar effort at High-A on Thursday evening. Facing Wisconsin, Hartshorn went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run. This marked the young slugger's 16th long ball of his first professional campaign. Hartshorn was selected by the Cubs in the sixth round of the 2025 MLB Draft and is quickly rising up dynasty boards. He opened the season with Low-A, where he needed just 39 games to earn the call to High-A. With Low-A, Hartshorn held a .273/.424/.460 line with nine doubles and five home runs. Since moving up to South Bend, the 19-year-old has launched 11 long balls with a .913 OPS. Dynasty managers should take note of the Orange Lutheran HS product, as he could find himself near the top of the system's rankings by the start of the 2027 season.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jonathon Long Making Strong Case for MLB Debut
Chicago Cubs first baseman/outfield prospect Jonathon Long is having a strong season at Triple-A Iowa, but has been particularly hot as of late. The Cubs' sixth-ranked prospect is 17-for-36 (.472) over his last eight games, including a three-hit, four-hit, and even a five-hit performance, during which time he tallied five doubles, two home runs, and a 5:8 BB:K. In all, the former ninth-round draft pick is slashing .283/.364/.451 with 11 home runs and a pair of steals over 90 games. The right-handed hitter is registering average-to-better-than-average chase, walk, swinging-strike, strikeout, hard-hit, and barrel rates, along with 84th percentile average exit velocity (91.0 mph) at Iowa. The stats backed by results give the 22-year-old a solid case for an MLB call-up, which could happen in the coming weeks, so managers in deeper 12+ team leagues should put him on their stash radar.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Cubs Calling Up Prospect James Triantos for MLB Debut
The Chicago Cubs are calling up second base/outfielder prospect James Triantos from Triple-A Iowa on Thursday for his major-league debut, according to Geoff Pontes of Baseball America. Triantos, the team's No. 7 prospect per MLB Pipeline, is getting his first MLB call after slashing an impressive .306/.344/.440 with a .784 OPS, seven home runs, 52 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 58 runs scored in 88 games across 378 plate appearances this year at Iowa. The 23-year-old former second-rounder in 2021 should give the Cubbies a utility option off the bench, as he has experience at all three outfield spots while mostly playing second and third base on the farm in 2026. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder has bounced back nicely after a rough showing in the minors last year, although he's unlikely to have an everyday role in Chicago this year if he sticks in the majors. Triantos, who bats and throws right-handed, has been compared to Alex Bregman and David Wright for his high-end contact skills. To become a big-league regular, he'll need to develop more power and improve his plate discipline. Fantasy managers in most leagues can ignore Triantos for now.
Source: Baseball America - Geoff Pontes
Source: Baseball America - Geoff Pontes
Ian Happ Opens a Sell Window With 17 First-Half Homers
Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ reached the break with 17 home runs and 59 runs, numbers that still carry weight in a trade. The batting average is another story. Happ hit .220 across 397 plate appearances, struck out 31.5% of the time, and slipped to seventh in the order twice during the final four games before the break. There is real power here. His 12.4% barrel rate is better than last season, and a .414 expected slugging percentage is close to the .431 result. The average has no such safety net. Statcast puts him at .205, and he hit .202 in June before going homerless in 39 July plate appearances. OBP leagues can live with the walks. Standard formats feel the damage more. Those 17 homers still give managers something to sell. Use the window.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
