The Chicago Cubs made one of the trades of the offseason, bringing in Kyle Tucker. They made runs at other free agents, notably Alex Bregman, but did not land them. Now they have Tucker as a pending free agent playing on their team. The Athletic interviewed people around the league talking about the Cubs' cheapness in recent years, proven by a lack of deals in recent winters. Giants third baseman Matt Chapman spoke about his contract with the Cubs, and his quotes should make fans concerned.

“The Cubs had a lot of interest in me,” Chapman said. “They were willing to do a one-year deal with me. There was just no way I could take the Cubs’ one-year deal, just for protection purposes. I was definitely considering it. I thought it would have been a good place to play. I thought they were a good team.

Chapman continued, “Even if it was two with an opt-out after the first year, I would have really had to take a look at it. But they said with the way their money was, they could only do a one-year. I was just like, ‘That’s just too risky.’”

The Cubs will have to watch as Chapman plays up to his $151 million contract. Can they fix their problems before Tucker's negotiations?

The Cubs must find a way to keep Kyle Tucker

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Despite Tucker's status as the best player in the trade, the Cubs did give up a lot to get him. Prospect Cam Smith made the Astros out of camp, Isaac Paredes can be a solid power hitter, and Hayden Wesneski is in their rotation. They have to keep him to make the deal worth it because they will not pivot like the Yankees did after losing Juan Soto.

While fans worry about the Tucker contract, he is off to a great start for the Cubs. He has four homers and five doubles with 11 RBIs through nine games. Tucker will get a rousing ovation when he helps the Cubbies open Wrigley Field for the 2025 season on Friday.

But every Cubs fan would tell you that the 2025 team would be better with Chapman or Bregman. Matt Shaw can become a good third baseman, but it is a risky bet in an important season. For a team in such a big city with a massive fan base, they are not spending the money on their roster necessary to compete with the Dodgers. They must fix that to keep Kyle Tucker this offseason.