The Chicago Cubs knew what they were getting when they traded for Houston Astros three-time all-star right fielder Kyle Tucker.
One look at the team stats shows what the multi-tool star brought to Chicago. As of this writing, Tucker leads the team in hits, home runs, RBIs, and walks. Among Cubs with 40+ at bats, he also leads the team in batting average, on base percentage, and OPS. Heck, the man is even tied for third in stolen bases.
The Cubs also knew what they were getting, business-wise, by acquiring the multi-tool asset.
The Chicago Cubs Face A Backs-Against-The-Wall Dilemma
Bringing in the 28-year-old Tucker, who is set to become a free agent at the end of this season, also brought ownership a real dilemma and a backs-against-the-wall situation when it comes to Tucker’s future as a Cub.
Vladimir Guerrero’s recent 14-year, $500 million extension with the Toronto Blue Jays seemed to establish a base price for a 20-something, in-his-prime position player with a consistent elite level of production.
That news hit Cubs fans hard as there’s real reason to doubt whether the frugal Cubs ownership, headed by chairman Tom Ricketts, is willing to invest that kind of money, for that long, in signing one single player.
However, everything isn’t total doom and gloom when it comes to Tucker remaining a Cub.
Shamed Into Extending Kyle Tucker?
In a recent edition of ESPN’s Baseball Tonight podcast with Buster Olney, MLB Insider Jeff Passan took an optimistic tone when asked about his informed take on a Cubs-Tucker extension, pointing to, of all thing, pride.
Per Passan:
“I’m going to give some hope to Chicago Cubs fans…The Cubs, they haven’t gone after Ohtani or Soto with the same level of fervor that they should have, but it was because Tom Ricketts is unwilling to spend and that narrative, once it starts chasing you and once it starts bumming out your fans, I think it gets to owners after time. I don’t think Tom Ricketts wants his reputation to be ‘the cheap Cubs owner.’
If you have the chance to sign this guy, after giving up Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith and Heyden Wesneski for him and all you get back if you don’t sign him is, like, not even a first-round draft pick?
To me, it screams that this is a situation in which Tom Ricketts has to go outside of his comfort zone and keep a franchise-type player around, because we see the impact that he’s had on that lineup, it’s profound. The Cubs are a completely different team with him in the middle of that order…So, I’m going to be an optimist…”
…But How Much?
But what would it take for the Cubs to ink Tucker now and avoid a bidding war with deep-pocketed and aggressive teams such as the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies?
Lots.
Lance Brozdowski of the Cubs Daily Podcast recently revealed what may be the initial asking price, from a source within Tucker’s management agency.
Per Brozdowski:
“I actually spoke to someone today at Excel Sports Management, which is Tucker’s agency, and I made them give me an estimate for Tucker’s eventual contract, whether it be in free agency or an in-season extension. And the number they gave was 10 years and $475 million. Sure, it’s a biased source, within his agency. Of course they’re going to promote him. Absolutely. But I thought it was actually somewhat reasonable, and I think it’s a good over-under for what he eventually will receive.”
That kind of money, for that many years, would represent a huge departure from Cubs ownership business strategy.
Recently, president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and general manager Carter Hawkins have both made statements regarding Tucker as the perfect building block around which to build a winning dynasty. It’s clear that the internal intelligentsia informing the budgetary decisions is on the side of extending Tucker.
The question is whether Ricketts will take that step outside his comfort zone and do what everyone clearly feels is best for the Cubs’ future as a winning franchise.
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