The Chicago Cubs have some work to do this offseason if they want to build off of a successful 2025 campaign that saw them win their first playoff games since 2017.
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And while it became painfully clear in the playoffs that pitching would have to be a focus for the front office, there’s also plenty else to work on.
For instance, the Cubs have to decide whether they’re going to put up a financial fight to keep free agent right fielder Kyle Tucker. If they don’t, they’ll have to find a way to fill the massive hole left behind.
But nobody seems to be giving much thought to changing anything when it comes to the catching position.
Looking at the pure numbers, there doesn’t seem to be much reason to be concerned.
Combined, the Cubs catching corp as a whole posted 30 home runs and 99 RBIs while playing all-around solid defensively. Carson Kelly, himself, accounted for 17 of those home runs and 50 of those RBIs.
A downturn coming at catcher?
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But Kelly, who signed with the Cubs last offseason for a two-year, $11.5 million deal, had a prodigious dip in offensive productivity in the second half of the season. Although he still had a career year with the bat, he was definitely showing a regression to his modest career-average expectations by season’s end. 2026 may see full regression.
The 26-year-old Miguel Amaya has long been regarded as the Cubs’ catcher of the future, but injuries have become a fixture in his career. Last season, he was limited to just 28 games. Backup Reese McGuire, meanwhile, is “just” a backup, despite doing well in place of the injured Amaya.
So, would the Cubs be wise to pick up another starting-level catcher, in proactive anticipation of needing one in 2026?
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Chris Landers of Fansided believes that Chicago would be smart to kick the tires on the Baltimore Orioles’ catcher/DH Adley Rutschman.
Per Landers:
“The Cubs have the luxury of being just about locked in at every position on the diamond — except, that is, for catcher, where Carson Kelly started off strong before disappearing down the stretch this season. It’s a spot crying out for an upgrade this offseason, and while the free-agent market is thin on impact names (outside a declining JT Realmuto), the trade market features one heck of a buy-low opportunity in Rutschman.
OK, so “low” figures to still be pretty steep in this case; Rutschman is under team control for two more years, and the Baltimore Orioles don’t figure to be overly eager to dump him for pennies on the dollar. Still, the two-time All-Star will likely never be cheaper to acquire and to extend than he is this winter, and it seems like Baltimore is at least open to moving on if the price is right.”
The realities of Adley Rutschman
The 27-year-old Rutschman had a dip in productivity last season, posting a .220 batting average and .673 OPS with just 9 home runs. Prior to 2025, though, the switch-hitter delivered 20 home runs and 19 home runs in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He’s also considered a strong defensive player and a smart pitch caller.
Rutschman has two more years of team control, earning about the same $5.5 million salary as Kelly right now.
Would the Cubs be willing to move on from what was a strength in 2025, even if the writing on the wall seems to indicate that the catching crew is due for a downturn? Would the Orioles’ asking price be too steep? Could the Cubs be convinced of Rutschman’s health and durability? Would the goal in acquiring Rutschman be the acquisition of DH insurance rather than a starting catcher as Seiya Suzuki likely moves back to right field?
Add these questions to the many more facing the Cubs this offseason.
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