Subscribe
Follow Us
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s massive contract extension with Toronto was great news for Blue Jays fans. It's also great news for every upcoming free agent hitter, especially the Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker.
With Guerrero locked up, the newly minted NL Player of the Week Tucker is set to take the mantle as the best hitter available this coming offseason, giving him a ton of leverage in negotiating his next deal.
Tucker is off to a scorching start for the Cubs, hitting .319 with a 1.202 OPS through 12 games. He's also hit five home runs, stolen three bases and played nearly flawless defense in left field.
If his season-long numbers mirror what he's done the last three years as an All-Star for the Houston Astros, he could be looking at a payday not far off from what Guerrero received.
And if the Cubs don't want to lose him, they should try to work out an extension before October hits. Team president Jed Hoyer knows that and indicated to Marquee Sports Network that those discussions will happen.
“Obviously he’s a great player, that’s why we traded for him. I think, clearly he’s the kind of player you wanna build a lineup around, build a team around,” Hoyer said. “I think any conversations we have with him we’ll keep internal, so there’s no point in asking all the time I guess, I know you will…Listen I’m excited, I think he’ll learn what Wrigley’s all about over the next few months, which I think is really important. There’ll be nicer days than this that he’ll enjoy. But I’m excited to have him, and obviously like I said, you know, anyone wants a player like that long term.”
Spotrac pegs Tucker's value at around $44 million per year, putting him in line for a deal that could eclipse $500 million depending on its length. We're a long way from October, so that can change depending on his health and performance, but it's a great starting point for someone with all the leverage right now.
