MSS– In a three-player transaction led by third baseman Isaac Paredes, the Chicago Cubs acquired three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, making it one of their biggest moves in recent memory.
After slugger Juan Soto signed the biggest contract in sports history earlier this month, the Cubs have come under fire from fans and the media for their lack of participation in the top tier of the free agent market.
In the upcoming offseason, the North Siders have a fantastic opportunity to make the most of their resources and situation in order to establish themselves as the favorites in the National League Central. They are in a strong position because they have a large number of young prospects with promise, they have one of the best starting rotations in baseball, and they are in a division that is still completely up for grabs.
It is the first solid sign that the Cubs actually intend to compete and make measurable progress in 2025, and the acquisition of Tucker on Friday is the first concrete indicator of this. However, questions about the team’s long-term prospects and willingness to spend heavily will only deepen if Tucker is acquired.
Additionally, the move is different from previous Cubs trades in the 2020s, where Yu Darvish and a large portion of the 2016 World Series core were shipped off in exchange for prospects.
Near the time that the trade deadline for 2023 was approaching, the Cubs did make an attempt to acquire infielder Jeimer Candelario; however, Tucker’s deal was more expensive but resulted in a significantly higher return.
Tucker, who is considered to be one of the top hitters in baseball owing to his age and track record, is coming off of another All-Star campaign in which he collected nearly five runs scored in less than half a season that was cut short due to injury. Based on his resume, it is quite likely that he will be ranked in the top half of the free agent class of 2026.
Despite the fact that Tucker is still under team control for one more year, the Astros made the decision to trade the All-Star player. This decision was taken in part because the Astros had made the postseason for eight consecutive years and have won two titles since then.
Should Tucker continue his offensive success as a Cub in 2025, it would almost likely bring back memories of the 2023 Cubs season, when Cody Bellinger’s resurgence with the team on a one-year deal led to months-long cries from fans to preserve the former league MVP. If Tucker were to continue his offensive brilliance as a Cub in 2025, it would bring back memories of the years 2023.
For the time being, Bellinger will continue to be a member of the Cubs because he is scheduled to enter the second year of a three-year contract. However, the purchase of Tucker makes it even more likely that the organization will follow through on the numerous suspicions that they are shopping the utility player, with the New York Yankees being among the probable bidders.
