The free agent market is heating up once more and the Chicago Cubs have joined in on the fun.
Today Chicago signed star Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
The deal is for five years and is worth $85 million.
The deal is said to be the highest number for a Japanese position player.
It is the second largest deal for a Japanese player behind pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, who the New York Yankees had signed to a seven-year, $155 million contract back in 2014.
The market is rolling again and we’re finally seeing teams sign players at a rapid rate like many predicted once the lockout came to an end.
OF Seiya Suzuki's deal with the Cubs is massive: five years, $85 million, as @Ken_Rosenthal reported. It's the highest number for a Japanese position player coming to Major League Baseball and the second largest behind Masahiro Tanaka's $155 million contract with the Yankees.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 16, 2022
A Win-Now Move
This is a solid, win-now move for the Cubs.
Chicago proved its desire to win when Marcus Stroman was signed just mere hours before the lockout was instituted, but they have now won the Suzuki sweepstakes and get a solid player on a massive deal.
The Cubs fell out of contention last year, causing them to trade Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Baez.
But they have been ready to spend this offseason and have now made a move that could help them get back into contention in the NL Central.
They still have the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers to deal with, but this signing has at least turned them into a dark horse contender, and they could be a major sleeper in the National League this year.
Suzuki gives them a power bat in their lineup to go along with Willson Contreras, Patrick Wisdom, and Frank Schwindel.
Chicago now looks like a young team on the rise that is ready make some noise and prove to be one of the biggest surprises in baseball.
NEXT: Cubs Seeking Stability At Manager With David Ross Extension
