As the offseason continues on, more and more players are being floated on the trade block. The newest star who’s found his name being mentioned in trades is Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker. Tucker is projected to sign a $195 million deal in free agency next offseason, per Spotrac, but there’s speculation that he could sign for north of $300 million.

With that in mind, it would make sense for the Astros to trade him now. His market is quite hot and Houston could land some big names in a deal for him this winter. Joel Sherman of the New York Post recently reported the Chicago Cubs are one of the top teams in the Tucker sweepstakes, alongside a few other teams.

“The Yankees, though, might not be the most determined pursuer of Tucker as the Winter Meetings neared an end. The Cubs are seen as a strong player for the lefty-swinger and the Giants are also involved in talks with the Astros,” Sherman wrote. “The Astros are prioritizing major league-ready corner infielders and starting pitching if they move Tucker. In first baseman Matt Shaw (the Cubs’ top prospect, according to MLB.com), third baseman Cam Smith, and 2024 All-Star Isaac Paredes, Chicago has pieces that are attractive to Houston, which is bracing to lose third baseman Alex Bregman in free agency.”

The Cubs could desperately use Tucker, even if it costs them Paredes in a trade. I’m not sure if Chicago would be willing to move top prospect Matt Shaw, who it views quite highly, but other than him, anybody could likely be moved.

Chicago also has Nico Hoerner, Cody Bellinger, Jameson Taillon, and other pitchers it could move in a blockbuster deal for Tucker, as long as the Cubs would be willing to eat some of their contracts. The Cubs have plenty of options to move for Tucker which makes them quite the intriguing option.