Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs hasn’t made his contract situation a big deal.
With the way he’s playing to start the year, hitting .258 with 10 home runs and just 25 strikeouts compared to 33 walks, there isn’t much of a reason for him to be too worried.
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With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signing a $500 million deal, Tucker also knows in the back of his head that he’s by far the best player on the free agency market next season. Barring anything drastic happening, he’ll have an opportunity to get paid handsomely, perhaps as high as $500 to $600 million.
When speaking about his potential contract, he added that he’s focused on playing baseball right now. With how the Cubs have played, Tucker seems to understand that this team can win it all. However, his comments don’t bring much hope to Chicago fans hoping he’d be interested in taking a deal this summer.
Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the New York Mets during the fourth inning at Citi Field.Brad Penner-Imagn Images
“Yeah, I get it, quite a good amount of times,” Tucker said of questions about his contract status, per Chi City Sports. “But I mean, I’m just out here trying to play the game and not worry about it too much and deal with that a little later.”
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Hopefully, a little later means in the summer for Tucker.
The Cubs would love to lock him up to a long-term deal, but they must also respect his wishes.
If he wants to focus on the task at hand and think about free agency in the offseason, that’s what will ultimately happen.
The ball is in his hands now, and that’s typically not a good thing. However, the Cubs should’ve expected that when they traded for him last winter.
Related: Cubs’ Jed Hoyer Reveals Trade Timeline for Reliever Help