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.
Fans and media members have criticized the Cubs for not participating in the elite free agent market, where phenom Juan Soto signed the biggest contract in sports history earlier this month.
The North Siders have a great chance to use their resources and situation to become the favorites in the National League Central this offseason. They are well-positioned with a wealth of young prospect talent, one of baseball’s better starting rotations, and a division that is still entirely up for grabs.
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The Cubs’ acquisition of Tucker on Friday is the first concrete indication that they do aim to compete and make measurable progress in 2025, but concerns about the team’s long-term prospects and willingness to spend heavily will only intensify 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 2023 trade deadline, the Cubs did make a play to acquire infielder Jeimer Candelario, but Tucker’s deal was more expensive but yielded a far greater return.
Tucker’s age and record make him one of the best hitters in baseball, and he just had another All-Star campaign in which he recorded nearly five runs scored in less than half a season that was cut short by injuries. His credentials will almost surely rank him in the top half of the 2026 free agent class.
The fact that Tucker was only under team control for one more year contributed to the Astros’ decision to trade the All-Star, who have advanced to the postseason eight times in a row and won two titles during that time.
Tucker’s offensive success as a Cub in 2025 would almost likely evoke flashbacks of the 2023 Cubs season, when supporters called for months to keep the former league MVP after Cody Bellinger’s comeback with the team on a one-year contract.
The signing of Tucker increases the likelihood that the organization will pursue the widely circulated rumors that they are shopping for the utility player, with the New York Yankees among the potential bidders, even though Bellinger will still be a Cub as he enters the second year of a three-year contract.
Without a doubt, Tucker’s acquisition improves the Cubs’ offensive capabilities in 2025, but the team’s long-term prospects are still unclear.
Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner, who both signed three-year contracts that started prior to the 2026 season, will be free agents after the 2026 campaign, while shortstop Dansby Swanson has five more seasons left on his contract with the team.
Although the club’s willingness to pay for the mega-deals that superstars have recently signed is still very much in doubt, there is no doubt that a number of bright Cubs prospects will have the chance to thrive at the major league level.
Jason Heyward’s eight-year, $184 million contract with the Cubs almost nine years ago is still the team’s highest free agent agreement. It is one of five nine-figure contracts the Cubs have ever made.
Given Tucker’s existing record going into his 29th season, a long-term contract much exceeding $200 million—a sum the Cubs have never surpassed—would probably be demanded for another season.
The Cubs are one of 12 clubs that have never reached a contract for $200 million or more, even though they are MLB’s fourth-most valuable franchise with a $4.22 billion valuation as of March. clubs in considerably smaller markets, like the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, and Arizona Diamondbacks, have surpassed this record.
A more lucrative free agency market signifies a different reality almost ten years after the Cubs won a World Series in 2016 thanks to an amazing core of young talent and the significant purchase of starting pitcher Jon Lester.
Tucker’s signing by the Cubs gives the North Siders a far greater chance to contend in the NL Central, but it also indicates that they will need to make significant free-agent purchases to keep the best players on the team.
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