Chicago Cubs free agent Kyle Tucker is one of the more sought-after free agents this winter due to his complete overall profile and his ability to impact every facet on the field.
Tucker is one of the few players with no apparent weakness that forces a team to compromise its set-up.
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He has a long-standing reputation as a star, delivering in high-leverage moments during the Houston Astros’ 2022 World Series run and capturing a good amount of individual hardware.
The outfielder made four All-Star teams and won a Gold Glove along with two Silver Slugger awards. At the age of 28, he enters free agency on the heels of another strong, good season of production, and he will end up landing the biggest deal of the transactional window.
Only a handful of teams have been reportedly the more intense pursuers of Tucker, most notably the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays, the two teams that played in the Fall Classic this year.
Other typical teams connected to Tucker include the New York Yankees and New York Mets, two other payroll giants with outfield needs.
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According to David Schoenfield of ESPN, Tucker could end up landing with a surprise team that he has not been strongly linked to yet.
“So, if one of those teams doesn’t sign Tucker, where will he land? The Baltimore Orioles seemingly have money to spend but just acquired Taylor Ward and need pitching,” Schoenfield wrote.
“The San Francisco Giants have had only one outfielder hit 25 home runs in a season since 2014 and could pair Tucker with Devers. The Texas Rangers will trim about $18 million in salary if they non-tender Adolis Garcia and Jonah Heim, and they need offense.
“The Cincinnati Reds are reportedly seeking a middle-of-the-order bat, although Joey Votto’s $225 million contract is the biggest — by far — in franchise history. The Chicago White Sox aren’t ready to win yet but maybe they can sell Tucker on their vision for the future (kind of like when the San Diego Padres signed Machado coming off a 96-loss season in 2018).”
Last season, Tucker hit .266 with 22 home runs, racking up 4.6 bWAR in the process. It marked his fifth straight season of reaching at least 4.6 bWAR, highlighting his consistency.
Any team could use a player like Tucker, but a projected 10-year deal worth well into the nine figures is a price that only the Dodgers or Blue Jays could pay, but that could change if these under-the-radar teams make moves to free up salary.
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