The Chicago Cubs have gotten off to a blazing hot start in spring training, leading the Cactus League with a 3-0 record with two wins over the Los Angeles Dodgers and a third on Saturday over the Chicago White Sox.
As exciting as it has been for fans to see strong early performances from crucial players like pitcher Justin Steele and outfielder Ian Happ, the team has not had star outfielder Kyle Tucker on the field yet.
Tucker, acquired from the Houston Astros this winter for a hefty price that included top prospect Cam Smith, power-hitting infielder Isaac Paredes and pitcher Hayden Wesneski, is set to make his debut for the Cubs on Sunday against the Texas Rangers.
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 23, 2025
Tucker is slated in the second spot in the batting order, following Happ in the leadoff spot and hitting ahead of right fielder Seiya Suzuki and shortstop Dansby Swanson.
With center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also in the lineup, this card features the closest thing Cubs fans have seen so far this spring to what manager Craig Counsell could submit for the team’s first regular season contest in the Tokyo Dome against the Dodgers on March 18.
Tucker is set to be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season, and it seems far more likely than not that he will test the open market rather than extend with Chicago before the campaign ends.
The likely one-and-done nature of Tucker’s tenure with the Cubs makes team success imperative this year, as Chicago looks to make the playoffs for the first time since 2020 and win a series for the first time since 2017.
An outfield as loaded as this one should lead to a productive offense, as Tucker, Happ and Suzuki are all expected to produce wRC+ numbers of at least 119, according to Fangraphs projections.
Combine a strong lineup with the one-two starting pitching punch of Justin Steele and Shota Imanaga, and it’s easy to see the upside this team could have barring any major injuries or down years.
Tucker finished his tenure with the Astros as one of the most productive hitters in the Major Leagues since he began his career. In seven seasons in Houston, Tucker produced a triple slash line of .274/.353/.516.
He’s coming off of the best year of his career in 2024, when he was good for a wRC+ of 180, far exceeding his prior career high of 146 in 2021.
