It took a lot to get him, but so far, the slugger has been worth it for the Cubs
Following the 2024 season, the Houston Astros put star right fielder Kyle Tucker on the trade market. When a three-time All-Star becomes available, naturally there is going to be a great deal of interest. Ultimately, the Cubs showed the most interest, and Tucker was sent to the north side of Chicago.
Every time a star player goes somewhere that is not Philadelphia, Phillies fans question why. After all, they had a hole in the outfield, and Tucker was a far more appealing option than Max Kepler. But Tucker didn’t come cheap, especially considering he’s a pending free agent. To get him, the Cubs sent away: Hayden Wesneski, a serviceable veteran swing pitcher; Isaac Paredes, who has already made an All-Star Game at age 26; and Cam Smith, regarded by some as a top 50 prospect.
It is still very early but, it looks like Dana Brown absolutely NAILED the Kyle Tucker trade.
Cubs received:
– 1 year of super star Kyle TuckerAstros received:
– 3 years of potential all star Issac Parades
– 4 years of #4 or #5 SP Hayden Weneski
– Potential star Cam Smith pic.twitter.com/5hdfFNjptp— Crawford Talk (@CrawfordTalk) March 21, 2025
For the Phillies to have matched the Cubs’ offer, they probably would have had to start with Cristopher Sanchez and Aidan Miller. For those who wanted the Phillies to go all in with their core in 2025, that probably would have been an acceptable price to pay. For those who would like the team to sustain success, that was a very high price for a player who will assuredly be receiving a massive free agent contract after the season. Not to mention, the subtraction of Sanchez from the rotation might have offset whatever gains Tucker would have provided to the offense.
The Cubs aren’t feeling much regret at the moment. Tucker is slashing .314/.423/.637 with seven home runs, and he’s been one of the biggest factors in the Cubs’ early hold on first place in the NL Central.
Everybody’s talking about Kyle Tucker’s homerun (and the two singles, the walk, and the two steals) but it was his defensive play that saved the game imo pic.twitter.com/29OCLNEv1Z
— Stan (@Crewsett) April 23, 2025
The good news for Phillies fans upset about missing out on Tucker: He has not yet signed an extension and is expected to hit the free agent market. While he’ll likely still be extremely expensive to sign, the Phillies won’t have to give up any young talent in order to do so.
X-Men character of the series
Juggernaut
As far as Cubs fans go, Justin Tucker is the Juggernaut of baseball. He’s traditionally been one of the most powerful villains out there. But recently, he switched sides and is now a member of the X-Men. But you wonder how long that will last. A year from now, it seems very possible that Juggernaut will re-embrace his villainy and once again be on the opposite side.
Juggernaut by J. Scott Campbell pic.twitter.com/dIyw3MFj3E
— Classic X-Men (@ClassicXMen) March 17, 2025
(Unlike Juggernaut, it isn’t clear if Tucker gained his powers thanks to a demon-powered crystal. I’ll lean towards no.)
Additional thought about the series
I’ve tried to tell people on social media that just because the team isn’t playing well right now, it doesn’t mean they’re a bad team and the season is doomed for failure. But many fans seem to embrace the doom and seem happiest when the team struggles.
For those fans, I have some good news: Much like the Mets, the Cubs are coming into this series red hot. So there’s a good chance the Phillies lose another series and you’ll have more opportunities to talk about how awful the team is and how the entire roster construction was a mistake. Enjoy!