Chicago Cubs, Kyle Tucker Avoid Arbitration With Monster Contract for 2025

The Chicago Cubs and Kyle Tucker have officially avoided arbitration, a good sign for what could potentially come.

Sep 21, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) celebrates his home run against the Los Angeles Angels in the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

It feels like ages ago since the Chicago Cubs pulled off a shocker and acquired superstar slugger Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros in what was pricy but fair trade deal.

While Jed Hoyer had to part ways with one of his best prospects in addition to sending out 2024 All-Star Isaac Paredes and versatile pitcher Hayden Wesneski, the ability to have Tucker in this lineup for even just one year seems worth it when considering how long it's been since the Cubs were in the playoffs.

Of course, the organization would love to ink him to a long-term contract.

With him being the face of this franchise alongside some of their star prospects coming up through the pipeline, the future would look a whole lot brighter in Chicago.

That could ultimately prove to be difficult since Juan Soto signed the richest contract in sports history this winter and Tucker could be looking at something in the $400 million range based on what he's done at this point in his career, but the Cubs still have to try.

The first step towards getting a long-term deal worked out is handling arbitration, something both parties were able to do before this had to go to a hearing.

Breaking News: The Cubs and OF Kyle Tucker have agreed on a $16.5 mil contract for 2025, sources tell ESPN. The sides avoid an arbitration hearing and Tucker will be in Chicago for the team's fan convention this weekend.

— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 16, 2025

While this doesn't guarantee anything regarding Tucker now choosing to not hit the open market and instead re-signing with Chicago, handling things in this manner certainly is something that won't come back to haunt the front office.

If the Cubs were to haggle their new player over dollars and cents, that would be a back look.

But, that's not how they went about things.

Now, Tucker is getting paid a monster $16.5 million salary to play in Chicago, and with the finances all straightened out, he's heading to the fan convention which will give him an idea of what it's like to play for this franchise.

The Cubs handled things the right way with Tucker's arbitration.

Hopefully it helps them get something even more lucrative done.