How Cubs are set to have over $100 million to spend in free agency next offseason

How Cubs are set to have over $100 million to spend in free agency next offseason originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Chicago Cubs look to be one of the best teams in Major League Baseball this season, and if things continue down this path, they should be top World Series contenders by the end of the season.

But, looking beyond the 2026 season for a moment, the Cubs are faced with a tricky situation for the upcoming offseason. But it's not all bad.

As ESPN's Kiley McDaniel highlighted, the Cubs will actually have a ton of financial flexibility next year, with potentially upwards of $100 million to spend on free agents. But the reason why they have such flexibility is why things will be tricky.

How Cubs have $100M+ to spend in next year's free agency

"Chicago has more than $100 million in potentially expiring contracts (depending on option decisions), which is just under half of its payroll," McDaniel writes.

The Cubs are set to see a ton of their players hit the open market after the 2026 season, depending on opt-outs.

Shota Imanaga will free up $22.025 million, with Ian Happ at $20.033M, Jameson Taillon at $17M, and Seiya Susuki at $17M as the headliners hitting the open market for the Cubs this upcoming offseason.

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Matthew Boyd at $14.5M, Colin Rea at $6.5M, Hunter Harvey at $6M, Carson Kelly at $5.75M, Caleb Thielbar at $4.5M, Hoby Milner at $3.75M, Michael Conforto at $2M, Jacob Webb at $1.5M, and Tyler Austin at $1.25M all can hit the open market as well.

It's a lot of players hitting the open market, and a few of these players will need to come back on deals larger than the ones they're currently signed to.

But, with over $100 million potentially at their disposal, the Cubs should be able to bring a few of these players back.

This is a tricky situation for the Cubs, but it's also a big opportunity. They are set to have $100 million-plus in spending power next offseason, depending on contract opt-outs, which could open the door to a big splash or two in free agency.