Cubs Target Off the Board: Do They Pivot Now?
Well, the Chicago Cubs were reportedly interested in Miguel Andujar, but the free agent has signed a deal with the San Diego Padres instead.
The 30-year-old could have fit in with the Cubs as a bench player, getting most of his playing time against left-handed pitchers, who he’s crushed in the past few years as he’s covered from injuries. Wasn’t meant to be as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported on Wednesday night that Andujar is headed to the Padres.
The Cubs have added a handful of players to compete for a bench spot in spring training, most notably Chas McCormick and Dylan Carlson. Owen Miller was also signed this week, but he seems more like a true Triple-A option rather than being on the short list to be on the Opening Day roster.
It kind of looks like outfield prospect Kevin Alcantara will begin the regular season with the Iowa Cubs, where he’ll get every-day at-bats rather than being the fourth outfielder. Meanwhile, Tyler Austin may not necessarily have a spot on the 26-man roster locked up just yet, so you have to wonder if the Cubs do pivot from Andujar and continue to explore options on potential minor league signings.
On the outfield front there’s old friend Mike Tauchman, although he had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee that ended his 2025 season in September. Would the Cubs still be open to adding another infielder? Ramon Urias and Luis Urias have several years of MLB experience, good defense and solid numbers at the plate against lefties. Ramon has been better in the past two years, while Luis has been more productive overall throughout his career.
If not, then the Cubs pretty much have a set group of players heading into spring training as pitchers and catchers officially report on Feb. 11.
(Previous Update)
The Chicago Cubs have a full infield, a bench that looks seemingly filled, but that doesn’t mean they’re done trying to add to the margins. According to a national MLB insider the Cubs still have an eye on the free agent market to add another depth piece on their roster heading into the 2026 season.
Once a promising young player for the New York Yankees Miguel Andujar is now trying to get back on track following a few down years and some injuries. The right-handed hitting utility player was good in 2025, and his numbers against left-handed pitchers could make a perfect fit with the Cubs as a bench player.
The 30-year-old has not been healthy in a while, but in 2025 Andujar finally was and produced a 125 wRC+ in 94 games. He began the season with the A’s and was traded to the Cincinnati Reds at the deadline. Andujar was a monster at the plate for the Reds in the final two months of the regular season, slashing .359/.400/.544, with a 159 wRC+ in 34 games coming off the bench.
Andujar began his career with the Yankees as a third baseman, but the right-handed hitter has primarily logged most of his starts in the outfield since 2021. Still unsigned, Andujar could certainly bring a decent bat for any contender looking to add on the margins or be a bridge player and eventual trade chip for a rebuilding team.
According to Jon Heyman, several teams are showing significant interest in signing Andujar, including the Cubs.
Miguel Andujar, off big 2025 season (.318 BA, .822 OPS), is drawing significant interest. Rangers, Padres, Cardinals, Reds, Cubs, A’s among many in play.
Andujar can help sure up the Cubs bench, creating more roster flexibility with his ability to play both corner infield and outfield spots, while also mashing left-handed pitching throughout his career.
It’s a small sample size, 192 plate appearances during the past three seasons, but since the start of 2023 Andujar is slashing .374/.406/.560, a 169 wRC+ against left-handed pitching.
So, how would Andujar fit into the Cubs 2026 roster? Well, the Cubs would have to make some room if they did end up signing Andujar because the bench currently looks like this: Matt Shaw, Miguel Amaya, Tyler Austin, Kevin Alcantara.
You could theoretically make it work by simply shifting Alcantara back to Triple-A, which may not be a big deal now that Dylan Carlson and Chas McCormick have been signed and will compete for a spot in spring training.
Plus, while Austin could likely be on the Opening Day roster, his spot isn’t guaranteed either. He signed a split contract that gives him a higher salary even if he’s at Triple-A, so the Cubs could bulk up their depth by stashing the right-handed slugger in Iowa.