Tucker played well with the Cubs, but his contract still expired at the end of the season. Now the Cubs are fighting an uphill battle to bring him back. In fact, a lot of insiders don’t seem to believe he’s going to return to Chicago in free agency.

CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa recently boldly predicted that Tucker would sign a league-altering contract worth over $450 million in free agency.

“This is just another way of saying the check clears north of $450 million,” Axisa wrote. “Kyle Tucker, this offseason’s No. 1 free agent, is one of the game’s top all-around outfielders and all the right teams (i.e. big-market contenders) need an impact outfielder. The Cubs, Dodgers, Giants, and Yankees will all assuredly be in the mix and you needn’t try hard to see how the Blue Jays, Mets, and Phillies could make it work.

“Tucker won’t get a Juan Soto contract because he’s older and not as good, but he is very good, and he will play the entire 2026 season at age 29. Whichever team signs him will get a lot of peak years. This bold prediction says Tucker signs for north of $450 million, likely across at least 12 years. (Also, just to cover our bases: $450 million will be total before any deferrals.)”

The Cubs seem unlikely to land a deal anywhere close to $450 million. In fact, the Cubs have never handed out a free agency deal worth over $200 million.

This kind of price tag puts Tucker in reach of teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees.

Both huge-market clubs have been rumored to be in the Tucker sweepstakes. The Yankees could look to Tucker as a replacement for Cody Bellinger. The Dodgers could add Tucker to fill the massive hole in their outfield.

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