The Chicago Cubs have been one of the best offensive teams in the MLB this season. Heading into Sunday, the Cubs have scored the most runs and they are a top five team in batting average, OPS, walks drawn and stolen bases.
A lot of that has been because of their big-name trade acquisition, Kyle Tucker. Pete Crow-Armstrong is stepping into his own, as well.
Chicago has been able to get production out of a variety of different players this year. Some more unexpected than the rest.
Even with this success, the Cubs are without a few players from the 2024 team. One of the more notable players missing is Patrick Wisdom.
After Chicago let Wisdom go, he decided to sign with the Kia Tigers of the KBO. Playing in Korea, the right-handed batter has been mashing baseballs.
In 26 games played for Kia, Wisdom has slashed .267/.407/.640. The former Cub has 18 RBI, 21 runs scored and he leads the entire KBO in home runs with nine. Perhaps more impressively, Wisdom has 20 walks while striking out only 25 times.
In his last season with Chicago, Wisdom had a high strikeout percentage, a low walk percentage and homered just eight times in 158 at-bats. His struggles came at the worst times as he was just 7-for-39 when he was batting with runners in scoring position.
The slugging corner infielder is clearly having much more success playing overseas. The pitching matchups might be a little easier, but a change of scenery seems to be exactly what he needed.
His contract is only one year long, so he could be back stateside as early as 2026. Now, the Cubs have no room for their former National League rookie of the year candidate. Their lineup is full, so seeing Wisdom back in a Cubs uniform is unlikely.
However, there are plenty of other teams that could use the power hitter. The season in Korea is only just beginning, so there is plenty of time for Wisdom to go cold. But his start to the year should put the MLB on notice.
The potential to leave the yard has always been there for Wisdom. He hit 28, 25 and 23 home runs for the Cubs in three straight years. As mentioned, he only had eight in 2024, but the fact he is showcasing power in Korea is not a surprise.
If the 33-year-old continues to dominate pitching in Korea, he will see himself at a Major League stadium once again next year.