What happened: Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki are both headed toward free agency, which would leave the Cubs without a starting left fielder or right fielder. Cleveland's Steven Kwan, a contact-and-on-base left fielder, is a free agent after the upcoming season. Chicago has already been linked to an offseason trade push that includes Kwan.

Why it matters: The free-agent outfield class is thin, and Kwan's contract status gives Cleveland a reason to move him now rather than lose him for nothing. He would also fill a corner without blocking the Cubs' outfield prospects. Matt Shaw has been floated as a possible piece, with Pedro Ramirez's emergence making Shaw easier to part with.

What to watch: Whether Happ and Suzuki re-sign will shape how aggressively Chicago pursues an outfield trade.