As if watching the Milwaukee Brewers dominate in the World Series isn't crushing enough, Chicago Cubs fans will soon come to the realization that their roster could look a whole lot different in 2027. That's partially due to the need to make changes after an embarrassing Wild Card Series exit, but it also has to do with the sheer number of free agents they have — a list headlined by star outfielder Seiya Suzuki.

Bringing Suzuki back should be a no-brainer for a Cubs team that can ill-afford to lose his bat or his glove in their lineup, but based on what The Athletic's Jim Bowden had to say, the odds of a reunion feel slim.

Best Seiya Suzuki team fits per Jim Bowden put odds of Cubs reunion on the brink

Not only does Bowden omit the Cubs from Suzuki's best team fits, but his two best fits for the outfielder are the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies, two teams in huge markets with clear needs for a potent right-handed power bat.

The Blue Jays, in particular, should be seen as major threats to Chicago given how this past season went. Fresh off a World Series appearance, the Jays missed the playoffs, thanks largely to an offense that ranked dead last in the Majors in runs scored and home runs and second-to-last in OPS. A better year from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would've helped them a lot, but their lineup was lacking even beyond a struggling Guerrero.

Suzuki is arguably the best position player available in this class. And a team that could use a big bat, particularly in the outfield, and that has consistently shown a willingness to spend far more than the Cubs have, is likely not going to end in Chicago's favor.

Cubs will need to get out of their comfort zone to re-sign Seiya Suzuki

Throughout Jed Hoyer's tenure with the Cubs, the organization has almost always refused to go out of its comfort zone. There's a reason that the richest contract in franchise history is the eight-year, $184 million deal signed by Jason Heyward in the 2015 offseason. Hoyer typically stays out of the way when discussing star-level talent, which is why it was so shocking that the Cubs signed Alex Bregman to a massive five-year, $175 million deal last offseason. Bregman got off to a slow start, but he was one of the best players in baseball down the stretch of his debut season in Chicago.

I'm not saying Suzuki will get Bregman money (although I don't think that should be ruled out, either), but Bregman is an example of why the Cubs shouldn't be shy when it comes to flexing the financial muscles they're capable of. What's the alternative otherwise?

Yes, the Cubs need pitching help, but they also have Ian Happ, Carson Kelly and Tyrone Taylor ticketed for free agency. Letting Suzuki walk would not only mean losing a middle-of-the-order bat, but it'd also mean Chicago potentially having to rely on guys like Matt Shaw and Pedro Ramirez, to name a couple, in everyday roles. In other words, their lineup, which was the best in baseball in 2026, would take a serious hit to both its upside and its depth.

It'd be hard to envision a world in which the Cubs let Suzuki walk and are better in 2027. If Hoyer wants to win now, going out of his comfort zone to bring back such an important player, as unlikely as outbidding the Blue Jays is realistically, is a must.