The Kyle Tucker saga was a dark cloud hanging over the Chicago Cubs all season.

From the moment Jed Hoyer pulled the trigger — sending third baseman Isaac Paredes, top prospect Cam Smith, and right-hander Hayden Wesneski to Houston — the clock started ticking. Everyone in Chicago knew it was a one-year rental, and for that kind of price, Cubs fans assumed the front office already had a massive extension lined up.

On paper, Tucker looked like the type of player you overpay for. From 2021 to 2024, he racked up 115 doubles, 112 home runs, an .888 OPS, and 18.9 fWAR — one of the most reliable middle-of-the-order bats in the American League. And early on, it looked like a smart deal. He started the All-Star Game in the National League next to teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong, and it felt like the Cubs had found their long-term right fielder.

But injuries hit. The production dipped. And by the time he walked off the field after an 0-for-4, two-strikeout showing in the Cubs’ Game 5 loss to Milwaukee, the tone around his future had completely shifted. The conversation suddenly wasn’t “When do they lock him up?” — it was “Is he even worth bringing back?”

Let me make this easy: No. He’s not.

Tucker’s Price Tag Doesn’t Match the Cubs’ Reality

Kyle Tucker is going to ask for something in the neighborhood of $400 million. That’s right where Spotrac projects his market value to be. That money can be spent better — because the Cubs have better options both internally and externally.

Seiya Suzuki emerged as a star this season. He hit 10 more home runs, drove in 30 more runs, posted an .804 OPS — not far off Tucker’s .841 — and played fifteen more games than Kyle Tucker. He was also better when it mattered most. Suzuki had an .863 OPS and three homers in the postseason. He stepped up when Tucker disappeared. And maybe most importantly, the defensive gap between them is no longer significant. Tucker had one of the worst defensive seasons of his career with -2 Outs Above Average (OAA). Suzuki, long criticized for his glove, posted an even zero OAA in 48 games — a massive improvement.

Add in Owen Caissie waiting in the wings, Ian Happ and Pete Crow-Armstrong under contract, and Suzuki proving he can handle right field — and suddenly, Tucker becomes luxury, not necessity.

There Are Better Ways to Spend That Money

Tucker seems to know what’s coming.

"We'll see what happens. Don't know what the future is going to hold. If not, it's been an honor playing with all these guys and wish everyone best of luck whether its playing next year or not with them,” he said after the Game 5 loss. 

That’s been his attitude towards the situation for some time now. The writing is on the wall. 

The Cubs don’t need another “good” outfielder. They need to weaponize their budget. Instead of locking themselves into another massive outfield contract, they should shift their focus toward pitching and power that doesn’t disappear in October.

Imagine a rotation that opens 2026 with Framber Valdez (free agent), Cade Horton, Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga, Jameson Taillon, and Matthew Boyd. Add a bat like Kyle Schwarber to lengthen the lineup with real, bankable power — not just a name with past production. That version of the Cubs doesn’t get pushed into bullpen games in the postseason. That version doesn’t watch the Brewers play in the NLCS while they sit at home. 

The best organizations in baseball don’t get complacent. They don’t settle for having serviceable talent penciled in at every position., They keep their foot on the gas and continue acquiring talent.

The Cubs don’t need to panic if Kyle Tucker walks. In fact, the best thing they can do is let someone else overpay him and use their financial muscle to build a roster that’s dangerous in October — not just good on paper in April.

There are smarter, louder, more impactful ways to spend $400 million. And the Cubs finally look like a team ready to do that.