Tucker’s Replacement! Cubs Secret Plan to Land Superstar if Kyle Tucker Departs
The Chicago Cubs were one of the most active teams in baseball this past offseason, adding several players to their roster to improve their odds of competing in the National League.
Based on who they brought in, and the inactivity of nearly the entire rest of the NL Central, the Cubs are viewed by many as the favorites to win the division.
It is quite an impressive feat what the front office pulled off as they managed to slash payroll significantly while improving the talent on the roster.
Chicago is still approximately $42 million under the tax threshold, which has frustrated some fans. As a big market club, they have the ability to spend like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets but are choosing not to.
With a projected payroll of $198,394,047, they have dropped their salaries by just about $41 million in 2025 compared to where they are in 2024.
Given how much wiggle room they have, the front office should be aggressive in attempting to work out a long-term extension with their newest star, right fielder Kyle Tucker.
Acquired in a trade from the Houston Astros this winter, Tucker is set to be a free agent after the season. As a Scott Boras client, he will more than likely test the free agent waters to set a market for himself, but Chicago should continue getting an extension done for as long as they can.
The fanbase would certainly love to see them not only retain Tucker but continue adding other established stars to the mix, especially because they have so many highly touted prospects working their way through the minor league system who will eventually provide salary relief.
One player who will be available in free agency next offseason is Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Like Juan Soto this past winter, the Toronto Blue Jays superstar infielder is going to garner a massive amount of headlines once the offseason rolls around.
His combination of youth, track record and future projections are going to have teams lining up, putting him in a position to land one of the largest contracts in baseball history.
The Cubs, in the opinion of Jim Bowden of The Athletic (subscription required), could be a suitor for Guerrero, especially if they cannot retain Tucker.
“I think the Cubs will learn that Michael Busch isn’t their long-term answer at first base and, if they can’t re-sign right fielder Kyle Tucker to a long-term contract, perhaps they’ll pivot and chase Guerrero,” the former MLB executive wrote.
Given how much money the team will have available to spend, it should be a no-brainer for them to pursue either of the talented All-Stars in free agency.
If they are unable to keep Tucker, their trade with the Astros certainly looks a lot worse. But, that blow would be softened if they turned around and added Guerrero to the mix as a replacement.
With the NL Central rapidly improving, Chicago has a massive built-in advantage with the size of the market they are in.
In an ideal world, they would start throwing their weight around, they would lock in Tucker long-term and pursue Guerrero on top of that, giving them one of the best young duos to build a lineup around in baseball.
