The Chicago Cubs are off to an excellent start in 2025 after a strong offseason. To begin the year, the Cubs are looking like one of the best teams in baseball early on. They are currently leading the National League Central, which was a goal, and now likely have their eyes set on more.
The team did recently suffer a significant injury blow with Justin Steele being ruled out for the campaign. However, the team hasn’t been shut about using the trade market to fill needs, and they might have to do so in order to bring in another ace. Fortunately, the offense of the team has gone from good to great in 2025.
A major reason for that was their bold decision to make a blockbuster trade for an MVP-caliber player . Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently spoke about Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker now becoming the best potential free agent on the market this coming winter. “But as fun as the 2025 season is going to be with Tucker, his upcoming free agency looms large.
With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. now off the board, Tucker clearly will be the top potential position player available this coming offseason.” The decision to trade for Tucker has proven to be a great one by Chicago early on this season.
So far, the slugger has met and potentially exceeded all expectations that the team could have had for him. In 21 games, he has slashed .301/.
410/.578 with five home runs, 19 RBI, and a league-leading 16 walks. Tucker’s patient approach at the plate has rubbed off on his teammates, with the team leading the league in walks by a sizable margin.
In baseball, there aren’t too many players that can seemingly have the same type of impact on a batting order that the three-time All-Star is having with Chicago so far. However, while it’s an extremely exciting time, the team must be thinking about the future with Tucker. After a recent $500 million extension for Vladimir Guererro of the Toronto Blue Jays , the slugger must know that he will be in the $400 million range this coming winter.
Since the star slugger from the Blue Jays is a couple of years younger, it would be shocking to see Tucker exceed that number. For the Cubs, while they should be enjoying having a superstar on the team, they should also be thinking about locking him up long-term. The All-Star has completely changed the outlook for the team in 2025, and this should be enjoyed.
However, looking toward the future with free agency looming is a scary thought for a team that hasn’t spent much of late. Recommended Articles.