I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again — the Chicago Cubs don’t need to sign Kyle Tucker this offseason if the price isn’t right.

Seiya Suzuki just went 30/100 while playing defense on par with what Tucker provides. Owen Caissie is ready to roll in the big leagues, and the Cubs still have Pete Crow-Armstrong and Ian Happ under control for at least one more season.

Losing out on Tucker in free agency wouldn’t be backbreaking. It would just mean the Cubs need to allocate that money — and remember, Tucker’s camp might be looking for something in the $400 million range — into other areas.

There’s going to be external pressure to make a splash regardless, but especially if the latest rumors come to fruition.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the Los Angeles Dodgers — already operating like a Super Team while they wait on a World Series opponent — are expected to pursue Tucker in free agency.

It’s a no-brainer fit for them. They relied on Michael Conforto, who hit .199 with a .637 OPS this season, to play left field with regularity.

Despite a horrific season at the plate, Conforto still appeared in 138 games because the Dodgers simply had no better alternative.

And whenever L.A. has a roster hole, they don’t patch it — they overcorrect. They throw an absurd amount of money at the problem, and nine times out of ten, it works. That’s likely what’s coming here. The Dodgers could easily blow past the market, hand Tucker something like a $450 million deal with heavy deferrals, and ride off into the sunset with yet another superteam that’s on the verge of back-to-back titles.

If that happens, it simply means the Cubs need to do even more to keep pace.

Add Kyle Schwarber at $25 million per year. Go get Framber Valdez at $35 million per. Add real bullpen depth, pick up options on Andrew Kittredge and Colin Rea, and bring back versatile bench bats like Willi Castro or look at someone like Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

Push your chips in. Match star power with star power.

Spotrac currently projects the Cubs’ 2026 payroll at around $186 million before any major additions. Add $100 million to that — which still wouldn’t even touch the Dodgers’ payroll — and you’ve at least narrowed the gap.

Don’t let anyone tell you “keeping up with the Joneses” doesn’t apply in pro sports. Especially when that sentiment is coming from ownership.

The Cubs sit near the top of baseball in annual revenue. They can’t afford to let the Dodgers raid the market for stars while sitting idle. If Los Angeles lands Tucker, Chicago needs to have a response ready — and it needs to be loud.