A new development in Kyle Tucker’s free agent market provides clarity and removes the final “what if” from the Chicago Cubs’ offseason.
After an active week was capped by the Chicago Cubs signing third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract, I said it plainly: the Cubs are done adding this offseason.
That belief hasn’t changed.
The writing is on the wall. The roster is full. There are no glaring needs. And even if the Cubs wanted to add another player, it’s hard to see where that player would fit.
We’re already at the point where Chicago’s surplus of talent has fueled trade speculation around second baseman Nico Hoerner — an idea I find foolish, for the record — but one that reflects just how crowded this roster has become. Whether Cubs fans like it or not, contenders are calling Jed Hoyer.
I haven’t loved every move the Cubs have made this winter. I’ve been hot and cold on individual decisions when viewed in isolation. But when you take a step back and evaluate the offseason as a whole, it’s difficult not to like where Chicago stands.
This roster should win the NL Central. I believe that wholeheartedly. The Cubs are simply a better team than Milwaukee.
More importantly, what Hoyer has done to both the bullpen and the starting rotation has given Chicago the depth required to contend for a World Series. I wouldn’t bat an eye if the Cubs went into Opening Day with the roster exactly as it is.
Still, not everyone agrees that the Cubs are — or should be — finished.
Some fans continue to hold out hope for a late push for Bo Bichette. Others are still dreaming of a Kyle Tucker reunion, fueled by how quiet his free-agent market has been.
That latter idea, at least in theory, wasn’t completely crazy.
I was never a fan of giving Tucker a $400 million contract. Given the Cubs’ recent budget constraints, that always felt like a poor allocation of resources. But there was a moment where a compromise felt possible — a short-term deal with a massive annual salary, perhaps with opt-outs built in.
A one-year prove-it deal. Maybe two years. Something that would allow Tucker to re-establish his value as one of the elite offensive forces in baseball while giving the Cubs one more middle-of-the-order bat to push them over the top.
It would have been an embarrassment of riches. A lineup so deep that Carson Kelly and Dansby Swanson would profile as the weakest hitters.
For a brief moment, that outcome felt plausible.
That door is now closed.
According to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets have emerged with a short-term offer for Tucker carrying an average annual value of $50 million. Some believe the deal includes a fourth year, potentially making it a four-year, $200 million contract loaded with opt-outs and maximum flexibility for the player.
If there’s one owner in baseball willing to make a short-term investment like that, it’s Steve Cohen.
And I can say with confidence that the Cubs won’t come anywhere close to that figure.
The Tucker speculation was a fair “what if” given how this offseason unfolded. The market stalled. Players landed in surprising places. Teams willing to increase AAV or add opt-outs were the ones who closed deals.
Had Tucker’s market truly collapsed, perhaps the Cubs could have circled back and given their 2026 lineup one final jolt.
That ship has sailed.
Kyle Tucker’s time in Chicago will officially end after just one season — and the Cubs will head into the year believing they already have enough.