If the Chicago Cubs don’t get a deal done for Kyle Tucker now, Jed Hoyer shouldn’t expect to keep him around next winter. Allowing him to hit the open market for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, New York Yankees, and even the Los Angeles Dodgers to bid on him would be the worst-case scenario.

However, from what it sounds like, the Cubs aren’t willing to give him a deal now, making this an interesting situation to follow. According to a recent report from Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, things might only get worse for the Cubs. He reported that the Yankees would be interested in him and that his price tag would be above $500 million.

“The Yankees should certainly be in the Tucker sweepstakes this offseason. They expressed interest in the outfielder last off-season before the Houston Astros traded him to the Chicago Cubs. The clubs had discussions about a potential trade, but the Yankees were hesitant to part with Luis Gil.

“Tucker and his representation should have popped numerous bottles of champagne upon seeing Guerrero get $500 million from the Toronto Blue Jays because 1.) Tucker is better, and 2.) the teams that may have shown interest in adding star first baseman Guerrero in free agency may now shift their attention to possibly signing the pricey outfielder,” Kirschner wrote.

Not only is the $500 million market an issue for the Cubs, but hearing that the Yankees will be in the mix isn’t ideal. New York lost Juan Soto in the winter, and landing Tucker would essentially be replacing the Mets star.

Not only is Tucker an elite hitter like Soto, but he’s also a much better defensive outfielder, having won a Gold Glove Award in 2022. If Tucker is smart, he’ll hit free agency, but if the Cubs blow him out of the water with an offer, it might be something he considers.