Chicago Cubs Agree to Contract with Superstar Trade Acquisition, Avoid Arbitration

That's certainly good news for the Cubs, who acquired Tucker via a trade from the Houston Astros earlier this offseason. While not necessarily a terrible thing, going to an arbitration hearing absolutely can harm the relationship between player and team. That's not the kind of thing the Cubs want considering they just acquired Tucker and likely want to sign him long-term.

One of the most impactful offensive players in the American League for the last few years, Tucker is still just 27 years old. He's already a three-time All-Star, a Gold Glover, a Silver Slugger and a 2022 World Series champion. He's coming off a year in which he hit 23 homers with a .289 average for the Astros, who won the American League West. He played only 78 games because of a leg injury that kept him out for months but still delivered a solid year at the plate.

Lifetime, he's a .274 hitter. He led the American League in RBI in 2023 at 112. With the trade of Cody Bellinger, Tucker figures to carry the Cubs lineup alongside Seiya Suzuki and Dansby Swanson.

Chicago finished tied for second in the National League Central last year.