The Houston Astros have an excellent chance to bring home their third World Series title in franchise history this season after maintaining one of the best lineups in the league and adding Josh Hader.
The elite reliever is already drawing praise from the established players, adding more fuel to the excitement that already exists.
Kyle Tucker even went so far to say he believes the Astros are the best team in the league.
But underneath the surface of this season lies the impending free agencies of many of their franchise cornerstones.
The most pressing one is Alex Bregman, set to become a free agent at the conclusion of this year.
On top of that, Framber Valdez and Tucker will also hit the open market following the 2025 season.
Houston will have some difficult financial decisions to make.
It's never too early to start think about extensions for these players and Tucker was asked about his thoughts if he were to be offered one.
"I'm always open to having those conversations and talk it through. I'd rather not prolong it forever," he said according to Marc Berman of the Associated Press.
Based on these comments, the star outfielder is open to staying with the Astros, however, it likely won't be cheap.
Since becoming a full-time player for Houston in 2020, he's produced a bWAR of 18.3, 98 home runs, 353 RBI and four straight years of an OPS+ well-above 100.
Tucker will be a free agent before he's 30 years old, making him one of the most coveted players when that time comes.
If the Astros want to hold onto him, they'd be wise to get something done before other teams are able to talk to him.
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