Cubs All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker has struggled immensely lately after a strong start to the season. In fact, his struggles have been so bad that Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced after Chicago’s 7-0 loss on Monday that Tucker will take “some days off to reset.”

Before the All-Star break, Tucker slashed .280/.384/.499 for a 145 wRC+ as the Cubs led the National League Central. Since then, Tucker has hit a poor .182/.333/.239 for a 77 wRC+ while the Cubs have fallen out of first place in their division with the Milwaukee Brewers leading Chicago by nine games.

Tucker certainly isn’t the only reason for Chicago’s recent stretch of poor play, as Pete Crow Armstrong has been struggling as well, but he certainly has played a big role in the team’s recent collapse. The Cubs still comfortably hold a National League Wild Card spot, but they’re no longer viewed as a World Series contender to many MLB fans.

Could the Twins sign Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker to a Carlos Correa-like deal?

When the Twins first signed Correa in the 2021-22 offseason, it was to a three-year contract worth $105.3 million ($35.1 million per year) with player opt-out clauses after the first two seasons. The idea of the contract was that a team like the Twins, which didn’t want to guarantee a superstar $200-300 million, was able to land one at an affordable price, and Correa had the luxury to bet on himself to perform better and make more money after opting out. Correa’s first year with the Twins went as planned, as the former Twins shortstop was able to opt out and secure a 6-year contract worth $200 million.

Correa’s inability to secure a larger contract following the 2021 season likely had to do with a market issue and possibly injury risk, as he posted a career-high 7.3 bWAR in his last season of his rookie contract. Still, Correa’s first free-agent contract is a similar deal to the one Tucker might sign if the Cubs outfielder is unable to find the money he wants this upcoming offseason.

It’s important to note that many signs point toward there being a lockout in 2027, meaning Tucker may want to secure as many years of team control as possible since he would miss a season of his prime with no pay if the unfortunate situation were to occur. Still, it’s fun to speculate whether or not the Twins would be able to sign a marquee free agent.

Of course, the Twins would have to first convince Tucker that they are committed to winning, even with the team’s recent fire sale.

Then, they would have to be willing to offer Tucker a contract with the most money, as big-market teams that have a better chance at making the postseason would most likely be a more appealing destination. Given the team’s reported debt that led to slashing payroll over the past couple of seasons, Minnesota is unlikely to spend much in free agency unless the new minority investors are providing financial help beyond just eating away at the debt.

At the end of the day, Tucker is in all likelihood not coming to Minnesota, but his recent stretch of poor play might help that dream become a reality.