The Chicago Cubs went all in to win this season when they swung a monster trade for expiring superstar Kyle Tucker in the offseason.
While sitting atop the league, the Cubs went into the trade deadline with some massive holes on the roster, but ultimately didn’t make many moves worth mentioning. This disastrous game plan could haunt the team in multiple ways.
FanSided’s Chris Landers recently suggested the Cubs’ lack of urgency at the trade deadline could cause Tucker to bolt in free agency at the end of the season.
“And then the pitching injuries began, and the Milwaukee Brewers got hot, and now Chicago finds itself in a dogfight for the division,” Landers wrote. “How did president Jed Hoyer respond to that pressure? By laying an egg at the deadline, acquiring a back-end arm in Michael Soroka, a utility man in Willi Castro, and a middle reliever in Andrew Kittredge. None of them are bad players or fits, but it’s hardly the sort of statement fans were looking for.
“And it could be what drives Tucker elsewhere come free agency this winter. Maybe it all works out and the Cubs do, in fact, get to or win the World Series. But this was hardly the best first impression for Hoyer to make, if he wanted to convince Tucker that the North Side was the place that would put him in the best position to compete for championships.”
Tucker is likely to receive a monster contract worth north of $350 million in free agency. The Cubs should be one of the top suitors in the sweepstakes, as well as the other big market clubs.
If the money ends up pretty similar across the board, there’s a chance that Tucker looks back at the deadline with some disdain for the Cubs’ front office, especially if it comes back to haunt the team in the postseason.
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