The Chicago Cubs knew that something had to change with their lineup after a disappointing 2024 season.
Heading into the winter, they were on the lookout for a player who could anchor their lineup, whose presence would help elevate the performance of everyone around him.
In a shocking turn of events, they found that player in the form of Kyle Tucker.
The star right fielder was acquired from the Houston Astros in arguably the most surprising move of the MLB offseason. To land the All-Star, the Cubs parted ways with third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and star prospect Cam Smith.
It was a steep price to pay, especially when taking into consideration that Tucker was set to be a free agent after the year. This is a similar situation to what the New York Yankees were in with Juan Soto last year after acquiring him from the San Diego Padres.
Soto put together an MVP-caliber campaign in his one season with the Yankees, cashing in to the tune of a 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest deal in sports history.
Tucker isn’t going to get that much money, but he is putting himself in a position for quite an impressive pay day with some stellar production.
He has been everything the Cubs could have hoped for and more.
Can Kyle Tucker Win NL MVP Award With Cubs?
His production with the bat has been elite, with a +11 Batting Run Value putting him in the 94th percentile. A +2 Baserunning Run Value is in the 95th percentile. The only area of his game that has been disappointing is his defense, with -1 Fielding Run Value being in the 27th percentile.
As long as he keeps hitting in the fashion he has, Chicago will accept the less-than-stellar defensive performance, as he ranks in the top 10 percent of the MLB in xSLG, wOBA, xwOBA, strikeout rate and walk rate, per Baseball Savant.
Through 43 games and 198 plate appearances, Tucker has produced a .262/.369/.524 slash line and an OPS+ of 153. He has hit 10 home runs, eight doubles, three triples and has stolen 10 bases to go along with 33 RBI, all culminating in a 1.5 bWAR.
Stuffing the stat sheet, the Cubs need to open up the checkbook to ensure that he doesn’t leave town after what is shaping up to be an MVP-caliber campaign.
