The Chicago Cubs made a bold move over the winter and it’s been paying off.
The team surprised the baseball world by trading for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker even though Tucker is in his final year of arbitration before becoming eligible for a very lucrative free agency. Despite the fact that he could be just a one-year rental, Tucker has been a major boost for the Cubs and their first-place standing in the National League Central division.
However, the success so far raises questions about what the Cubs intend to do on the long-term future of their star player.
The Cubs might have to shell out as much as $500 million to retain Tucker after this year and, if he reaches free agency, they might have to compete for his services with any number of big market teams. And a recent blockbuster trade that sent Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants might have impacted the landscape.
“The Giants were looked at as a contender for Tucker, but now they have Devers’ contract, which pays him between $27.5 million to $31 million between now and 2033 (with deferrals),” according to Jon Greenberg of The Athletic. “The Red Sox could be a possibility, but as longtime baseball reporter Tom Verducci said on 670 The Score on Monday afternoon, the Devers trade might just force Boston to sign Alex Bregman to an extension.”
With the Devers trade potentially removing two big-market suitors for Tucker, the Cubs might have a clearer path to a long-term deal for him. That might make a big difference in the total price tag for a new contract, and ultimately, Greenberg believes the Cubs will have little choice to get a deal done if the team’s success continues in the face of a looming collective bargaining agreement battle in the sport.
“So, if the success of the team continues, the ballpark will be full in September and playoff money will follow,” he added. “With labor strife on the horizon, (Cubs owner Tom) Ricketts will be backed into a corner to spend on a modern-age superstar contract, and it shouldn’t matter if Boston or San Francisco are bidding too.”
The Devers trade news could remove the Giants and Red Sox from contention for Tucker. And if the Cubs’ winning ways persist, the team could feel it has little choice but to extend Tucker.
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