Chicago Cubs predicted to hand off Kyle Tucker to NL team for $604 million payday
Kyle Tucker didn’t shine for the Chicago Cubs during his debut in Japan last week. The star outfielder earned one hit on eight at-bats as the team dropped their first two games of the season to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Cubs bats were quiet as a whole during the trip. Chicago will resume their regular season against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday with a team batting average of .172.
The Cubs expected Tucker to add some juice to a lineup that needs bats to go along with a strong pitching staff. The main concern going into the season is if Chicago did enough in the offseason to justify trading for Tucker, as his expected price in free agency after the season could be out of reach for the Cubs.
Most estimates for Tucker’s next deal are around $300-400 million.
Chicago Cubs predicted to lose Kyle Tucker to the Phillies
Jim Bowden of The Athletic is predicting Tucker does well enough for the Cubs in 2025 that his price will become $200 million more than most analysts figure. He predicted the Cubs would let him walk to the Philadelphia Phillies in free agency.
“After a strong season with the Cubs, Kyle Tucker signs a 14-year, $604 million contract with the Phillies in free agency,” Bowden wrote. “The deal includes significant deferrals.”
Why the Philadelphia Phillies would pay Tucker $600+ million
At 28, he’s made three All-Star appearances, won a World Series, has three-time All-MLB Second Team honors, won a Gold Glove Award, won a Silver Slugger Award, led the American League in RBIs in 2023, and was the AL leader in triples in 2020.
A strong resume makes him attractive, but his age could keep him out of the ballpark of what Juan Soto made when the New York Mets signed him to a 15-year deal worth $765 million. (Although a “small market team” wants to drive Tucker’s price up.)
Hopefully, a $604 million contract means Tucker did more than enough to help the Cubs win the NL Central.
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