The New York Yankees could have swung a trade for Kyle Tucker during the offseason, but they refused to part ways with pitcher Luis Gil. That resulted in the Houston Astros sending Tucker to the Chicago Cubs.
However, Tucker is slated to hit free agency next winter, so the Yankees will get another crack at the All-Star outfielder if they so desire.
While New York fans are certainly hoping the Yankees will make a run at Tucker, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic isn’t so sure Hal Steinbrenner will be all that eager to do so.
Tucker is on track to land a massive contract, and Kirschner is not positive that Steinbrenner will be as amenable to paying Tucker as he was to attempting to pay Juan Soto.
“But it has to be mentioned that the Yankees had a yearlong relationship with Soto, so who knows if Hal Steinbrenner would have the stomach to pay Tucker $40 million-plus when he has zero relationship with him,” Kirschner wrote. “Did you know that the last external position player free agent the Yankees gave a multiyear contract to was DJ LeMahieu in 2019?”
It should also be noted that Tucker is 28 years old, so he probably won’t be landing a Soto-type contract. At least not in terms of years. Still, there is no doubt that the Cubs superstar is one of the best players in all of baseball.
Tucker is off to a terrific start in 2025, as he is slashing .322/.452/.678 with five home runs and 16 RBI over 73 plate appearances. Last year, he was on pace to have a spectacular campaign, but injuries caused him to miss a gigantic chunk of the campaign.
In 78 games during his final season with the Astros, he slashed .289/.408/.585 with 23 homers and 49 RBI, earning his third straight All-Star selection.
Tucker also has a Gold Glove under his belt and finished fifth in MVP voting in 2023, so he has a proven track record. He would represent a phenomenal addition for the Yankees, but whether or not the suddenly cost-conscious Bronx Bombers will actively pursue him remains to be seen.
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