The Chicago Cubs are officially done for the season, getting absolutely steamrolled by the San Diego Padres in the Wild Card Series. Ouch. Talk about an early exit from the postseason. But if that wasn’t bad enough, it looks like their offseason is gonna be a total mess with 17 players possibly hitting free agency. And right at the top of that list is their main man behind the plate, Carson Kelly.
Carson Kelly Was Legit, And Now He’s Gone
For the past two seasons, Carson Kelly was a bright spot for the Cubbies. They snagged him on a two-year deal back in the winter of 2024, and the dude delivered. We’re talking a solid .254 batting average, a .335 on-base percentage, and a .402 slugging, all adding up to a sweet .736 OPS. He crushed 27 homers and drove in 108 runs over that span. Plus, Statcast even clocked his exchange times and arm velocity getting better! The guy was not just mashing, he was improving his defense. That kind of two-way production is pure gold for any catcher, and Kelly’s about to hit the market with a ton of appeal.
The Race for a New Backstop Is Heating Up
Teams are always on the hunt for a solid catcher, and Kelly’s blend of offense and improved defense makes him a hot commodity. The New York Yankees could totally use a right-handed hitting partner for Austin Wells, and Kelly fits that bill perfectly. Over in Baltimore, the Orioles are probably eyeing an upgrade from Carlos Narvaez to back up Samuel Basallo, especially after shipping Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox. FanSided’s Robert Murray nailed it: “With so many teams needing catching reinforcements this winter, Kelly will have options in free agency. Another multi-year deal would certainly appear to be in the cards for the free-agent-to-be.” It sounds like Kelly’s getting paid, and it ain’t gonna be by the Cubs.
So, what’s next for Chicago? Without Kelly, they’d probably have to roll with Miguel Amaya as their starting catcher and maybe bring up No. 2 prospect Owen Ayers as backup. Or, and this feels more likely given the demand, the Cubs’ front office needs to get busy finding a new catcher through free agency or a trade. This offseason just got a whole lot more stressful for the Cubbies, and the clock is ticking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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