The Chicago Cubs made one of the most significant offseason moves by acquiring Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros. One of the best players in baseball, Tucker has gotten off to an incredible start in his Cubs career.
The Astros traded him mainly because he would be a free agent after the 2025 season. His contract demands will be high, so Houston knew they could not pay him. However, Tucker has been what Chicago’s lineup needs and is playing his way into a massive deal.
MLB Analyst Credits Kyle Tucker for Transforming Cubs’ Lineup
MLB analyst Ken Rosenthal joined “Foul Territory” to discuss what Tucker has meant to the Cubs’ lineup. He said, “You have to value him for what he brings to a lineup and how he can transform a lineup, and that’s what Tucker has done.”
Kyle Tucker has "transformed" the Cubs, says @Ken_Rosenthal.
"You have to value him for what he brings to a lineup and how he can transform a lineup, and that's what Tucker has done." pic.twitter.com/wv7UKjmUU5
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) April 15, 2025
Tucker has plenty of motivation to play well this season as he could be in line for a massive payday. We could see Tucker in the same range as Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who just signed for $500 million. So far this season, Tucker is hitting .307 across 19 games with five home runs and 18 RBIs. He has also played an integral role in helping the Cubs become the highest-scoring offense in baseball.
The Cubs have averaged 6.32 runs per game through their first 19 games, an increase from the 4.54 they averaged last season. While Tucker may be costly this offseason, he is far too valuable to let leave in free agency.
Suddenly, the Cubs are trying to return to the MLB postseason for the first time since 2020. This team has struggled in recent years due to its lack of star power, but that should not be an issue with Tucker in the fold. The NL Central is no longer a vaunted division, and it looks like the Cubs have the best team on paper.
At 11-8, Chicago leads its division over the Cincinnati Reds (9-8), Milwaukee Brewers (9-9), and St. Louis Cardinals (8-9), who are all hovering at or around .500.
One thing that could hold the Cubs back, though, is their starting pitching. They just lost starter Justin Steele for the season and seem to be in the market for another starting pitcher.
One name that has floated around is Miami Marlins’ starter Sandy Alcántara. He will likely be dealt at some point this season, and the Cubs are a perfect fit. The Cubs may have enough to win the NL Central, but they must improve their pitching if they are serious about making a deep run in October.