The Chicago Cubs have had a great start to the season, and a major reason for that is their offseason decisions.
This past winter, the Cubs were one of the more aggressive teams trying to improve after two straight 83-win years. So far, the results have been great for Chicago.
While some injuries of late have hampered the starting rotation most notably, the Cubs have been able to lean on their high-powered offense to get the job done.
From the top to the bottom of the order there is talent in this lineup, but the addition of one player in particular changed the outlook for the team. However, with arguably their best player being a free agent at the end of the campaign, there is reason to be concerned.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required) recently spoke about the Cubs outfielder being the best free agent in the upcoming class, and that he is set for a massive payday.
“Following Juan Soto’s record-setting $765 million deal in free agency and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension, Tucker is expected to land a nine-figure contract that starts with a 6. Several big-market teams, including the Cubs, Phillies, Yankees, and Dodgers, should be in play for him.”
The acquisition of Tucker was certainly the right decision for Chicago this past winter, but he wasn’t cheap to acquire and he isn’t going to be cheap to keep.
After Juan Soto reset the market last offseason, one of the biggest winners from that deal was Tucker. This might have played a significant part in why the Houston Astros elected to trade one of the best players in the league with one year left on his deal.
Now, considering the Cubs gave up what has quickly become three Major League players for him, losing him to free agency would be a tough blow if they don’t win a World Series this year.
So far in 2025, he has slashed .278 /.387/.552 with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, and 14 stolen bases. It seems highly likely that he is going to have a 30/30 campaign heading into free agency, making his value only rise.
Even though he is a bit older than Soto and Guerrero, he is still just 28 years old, which is on the younger side in terms of hitting free agency.
After seeing the recent contracts for some of the stars in the game, a $600 million deal for Tucker seems like a real possibility. For a Chicago team that hasn’t spent much in free agency of late, perhaps they have been saving up for a player like this.
There will be numerous suitors if he does hit the open market, but the Cubs will certainly be in play.
