Week In, Week Out: The Cubs Need Kyle Tucker More Than Ever Now
Another week of Cubs baseball has concluded as they completed their nine-game road trip, as well as finishing the first third of their homestand.
Chicago went 1–2 against Philadelphia on the road and 3–1 against Pittsburgh back at Wrigley.
However, this quickly became an afterthought as massive trade news sent a shockwave throughout the league.
So big, it leaves us to discuss the future of one of Chicago’s most important players.
Get A Deal Done With Kyle Tucker
This has always been a top priority for the Cubs, but it now makes even more sense after what transpired on Sunday. With the San Francisco Giants acquiring one of the best hitters in the league, Rafael Devers, the National League is now more stacked than it’s ever been. Coming into the season, everyone viewed the Giants as a fourth-place team in their own division. But the team surprised many in the first 2.5 months of the season, posting a record of 41–31. This hot start proved to the president of baseball operations, Buster Posey, that this team was ready to compete and prompted him to make the move for Devers—a move that could completely realign the NL West standings.
With the National League loading up on star power, this should be a massive wake-up call for Jed Hoyer to get a deal done with Kyle Tucker. The Cubs’ projected payroll for the 2026 season is expected to be around $151 million—well below the $241 million luxury tax threshold—meaning the team has the financial flexibility to pay Tucker what he desires. Additionally, Tucker is the only big-time free agent on the team set to hit the open market, so it’s not like the front office needs to allocate funds to other pending free agents.
Kyle Tucker is set to sign a contract worth well over $300 million, with some executives even suggesting that he could be worth around $500 million. Tucker is set to turn 29 on January 17, which means Chicago could offer him a deal in the 10-12 year range with an average annual value (AAV) of around $45 million. However, if I were Jed Hoyer, I’d be willing to go above and beyond to keep the franchise cornerstone in Chicago long term.
While the NL Central on its own is always very winnable, the concern going forward is that if a player as talented as Tucker walks, we won’t be able to compete in the postseason with teams from the East and West especially if Tucker decides to stay in the conference and sign with a team like the Dodgers, Padres, or even that of the Giants.
While Chicago has reliable players outside of Kyle Tucker, it is still abundantly clear that he plays a vital role in the team’s success this season. There is no reason why we shouldn’t see Tucker back in The Friendly Confines in the long-term future.
What’s Next
The Cubs open a pivotal three-game series at home against the Milwaukee Brewers, providing a chance to pull away in the divisional standings.
Following that, they will conclude their ten-game homestand with a three-game series against the Seattle Mariners.
Two teams that have shown fight through the 70+ games of the season.
PHOTO: Kamil Krzaczynski/Imagn Images
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Categorized:Cubs