The hype surrounding Kyle Tucker has died down significantly since the right fielder entered a deep slump at the plate following the All-Star break, but it doesn’t mean Chicago Cubs fans don’t want him back. Of course, the Wrigley Field faithful also know that ownership and the current front office that is led by Jed Hoyer haven’t always shown the willingness to enter a bidding war for top free agents, which leaves a giant question mark around Tucker’s future.

Earlier this week, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan gave fans on the north side of Chicago some hope, naming the Cubs as favorites to sign Tucker in the offseason. However, the positivity in Passan’s prediction didn’t last long, because Cubs fans were once again subject to hearing the same tiresome rhetoric that has unfortunately become their team’s reputation. Sure, the Cubs will most definitely be involved in the Tucker sweepstakes once he hits free agency, but the team isn’t expected to go above and beyond to retain the four-time All-Star.

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Cubs headed toward all-too-familiar mistake with Kyle Tucker

During his appearance on the Cubs Weekly podcast with host Lance Brozdowski, Passan was asked about Tucker’s free agency. And although the MLB insider still thinks the Cubs are the favorites, Passan’s proclamation came with one big “but”. This is certainly a painful thing to hear for Cubs fans, especially the ones who believe Tucker is still worth a big free-agent contract.

“But I do think the Cubs are going to have a limit they’re not going to want to go past. The reason I have pause on saying ‘unequivocally, yes, they are the favorite,’ is because I’ve seen this time and again. We saw it with Alex Bregman. The Cubs should have gotten Alex Bregman in the winter. I’ve seen the Cubs have a willingness to stop, and to say ‘we are not going to go a penny over that, and you can keep pushing and keep trying and keep cajoling and you can keep telling us we’re not going to get the player, but we’re not moving.’ And one could call that either discipline or foolishness. Maybe it’s a little of both.”

After the Cubs traded for Tucker last December, the front office turned its focus to third base. The team was surprisingly in the mix for Alex Bregman, but their offer fell short at four years for $120 million, a $30 million AAV. Bregman ultimately signed with the Boston Red Sox, agreeing to a three-year contract worth $120 million that included opt-outs after the first and second year. The Detroit Tigers also offered Bregman a six-year, $171 million deal.

Even when the Cubs have gone for a big name in the recent past, it’s been like pulling teeth to get the green light from ownership. After Cody Bellinger’s resurgence in 2023, he became a free agent and didn’t sign until nearly spring training as he and the Cubs eventually agreed to a three-year, $80 million deal. After one year, the Cubs traded Bellinger in a salary dump move to the New York Yankees to lower their 2025 payroll.

The Cubs were over the CBT threshold in 2024, and after the failed pursuit of Bregman, Hoyer publicly praised ownership for pushing the budget in an attempt to sign the third baseman.

Cubs fans were irate, waiting for another big move to follow in the offseason that never came. The team is nearly $30 million below the first tier of the luxury tax payroll as things stand right now, a wild notion for such a big-market team.

As fans look ahead to the winter, they’ll always have that in the back of their mind. Are the Cubs going to do what’s needed to ultimately re-sign Tucker? History isn’t on their side, and it’s exactly why Passan isn’t quite sure of his own prediction.

Think about the other potential suitors for Tucker in free agency. The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies come immediately to mind. Does anyone think the Cubs will win a bidding war against either of those two clubs? It’s a sad reality that Passan unfortunately reminded Cubs fans of this week.

It’s easy to forget how great of a year Tucker was having prior to his finger injury that led to mechanical changes at the plate, ultimately derailing the All-Star’s summer. Through June 28, Tucker had a 158 wRC+, which ranked No. 3 in the National League. It’s only been a week since the Cubs gave Tucker a few days off to reset, and so far the results have been great upon the left-handed hitter’s return to the lineup. In his last seven games Tucker is 9-for-26, with three home runs and two doubles.

A big September for Tucker will obviously raise his value once again, which should delight the Cubs as they hope for a deep run in October. In turn, it might also mean Tucker prices himself out of Chicago.