Although Kyle Tucker is familiar with Daikin Park, seeing it from the opposing team’s dugout on Friday gave him a new perspective. Tucker, one of MLB’s top hitters and a 2022 World Series champion, returned to Houston for the first time since being traded to the Chicago Cubs last December.
Tucker has played a key role in the Cubs’ 48-34 record, which currently places them at the top of the NL Central. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, the standout outfielder is expected to be one of the top names to watch in free agency.
What Will Kyle Tucker’s Offseason Look Like?
According to MLB Now host Brian Kenny, with Tucker set to enter free agency at the end of the season, any team hoping to sign him will have to pay a premium.
“Kyle Tucker was always under the radar in Houston,” Kenny said. “Think of the talent on that roster.”
Kyle Tucker is primed to make a big splash in free agency this offseason, but what will that look like for one of the game’s most underrated stars?
BK digs in. pic.twitter.com/ws04BGrZPL
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) June 27, 2025
Since his breakout season in 2021, Kyle Tucker has established himself as one of the game’s top players. He’s posted a 24.6 WAR since the start of that year, and in his current campaign with the Cubs, he ranks second on the team behind only Pete Crow-Armstrong with a 3.5 WAR.
“This year, his contract year with the Cubs is a pivotal one, and he’s proving himself. Kyle Tucker hits lefties as well as righties, which is rare. The main selling point for Tucker is that all-around game. His chase percentage is fourth in all of baseball. He has more walks than strikeouts,” Kenny said.
Taking into account all these statistics and comparing the salaries to those of other similar players in the game, Kenny said, “Forty million might be the floor.”
The Houston crowd erupted in cheers as Astros fans gave their former star a standing ovation when Tucker stepped up to the plate for his first at-bat. In a show of gratitude, Tucker removed his batting helmet and tipped it to the crowd.
Kyle Tucker receives a standing ovation from the fans in Houston đź‘Ź pic.twitter.com/mWRLtYRpqe
— MLB (@MLB) June 28, 2025
Before being traded to the Cubs in December, Tucker had spent his entire career with the Astros, climbing through their farm system. His legacy in Houston remains strong, as he was a three-time All-Star and a key part of the team’s 2022 World Series championship.