Weighing Pros and Cons of Chicago Cubs Trading for Kyle Tucker

Here are the pros and cons if the Chicago Cubs trade for Kyle Tucker.

Sep 24, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning at Minute Maid Park. / Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

The Chicago Cubs have wrapped up the Winter Meetings as the offseason continues to roll on for them. 

So far, it has been a busy winter for the Cubs.

Coming in, Chicago was expected to be an active team both in free agency and the trade market. Since they were a solid team in 2024, a few notable additions could be what’s needed to make the Cubs a playoff team once again. 

One of the things Chicago was trying to upgrade was the middle of their order. However, since the team might not be looking to spend a ton in free agency, the logical way for that to happen would be in the trade market. 

Recently, the Cubs were engaged in conversations with the Houston Astros for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, who has been made available to be acquired this winter. 

Here are some pros and cons for Chicago if they were to trade for the talented slugger. 

Pros

With a need to improve their offense, Tucker would certainly do that for the Cubs. Even though he missed nearly half the season in 2024, the left-hander was able to total 23 home runs. He was well on his way to the best campaign of his career before getting injured. In the three previous seasons, the 27-year-old totaled over a 5.0 WAR in each season. 

As a hitter with both power and the ability to hit for contact, Tucker would be the best batter on the team and move right into the middle of the order. While he is a good hitter, he also won a Gold Glove in 2022.

Overall, he is a complete player on the diamond.

Tucker is without a doubt one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball and would instantly make the Cubs a better team. 

Cons 

Tucker also comes with some risk.

In order to acquire the talented outfielder, it is going to cost the Cubs plenty of talented prospects or young players. While the Cubs do have a strong young core and farm system, Tucker is only under contract through 2025. 

When looking at what Juan Soto just received in free agency, the talented slugger has to be excited to see what he is going to get on the open market next offseason.

Even though the Cubs could offer him a contract extension if they traded for him, he is likely going to test free agency no matter what. 

If Chicago traded a lot of assets for him and couldn’t sign him, they would be in a similar situation that the New York Yankees are in currently after losing Soto, which wouldn’t be ideal.