MLB Insider Sees Kyle Tucker as $400 Million Prize With Heavyweight Teams Circling

Kyle Tucker jammed his right ring finger on June 1, kept playing, and looked unstoppable. That month he hit .311/.404/.578 with five homers, his best stretch of the season. The slide came later (.675 OPS in July and .735 in August) when the power drained and the Cubs finally admitted he’d been playing through a small fracture.

 For Chicago fans, the slump felt like a warning sign. For rival executives, it only reinforced his reputation as a durable All-Star willing to grind through pain. That reinforces why, as New York Post Insider Jon Heyman wrote in his column, the industry views Tucker as the top free agent on the market. 

Even in a season dented by that hand injury, Tucker has logged another 4+ WAR campaign. He’s the rare all-around threat who can hit for power, steal bases, cover ground in the outfield and stay on the field. Those skills don’t disappear because of one bad summer stretch. Scouts and execs still see the player who has averaged nearly 30 homers and 20 steals since 2021, with Gold Glove-caliber defense on top.

The industry already views Tucker as a $400 million player in a market thin on marquee bats. He doesn’t have Soto’s flair or Guerrero Jr.’s hype, but his steady production puts him in that financial neighborhood.

Now comes the sweepstakes. 

In his column, Heyman names four possible teams. 

The Cubs would love to keep him, but payroll realities and younger, cheaper options like Owen Caissie could nudge them toward caution. The Dodgers loom as the most obvious bidder, with money and a history of stacking stars. The Giants have been chasing a centerpiece bat for years. And the Red Sox, though they have a crowded outfield, could be in play. 

Tucker is the clear prize this winter. Cody Bellinger is next in line thanks to his versatility and Gold Glove defense, if he opts out as expected. Trent Grisham has pushed his way into the conversation after a breakout season in New York, giving teams a rare chance at a plus defender in center. Michael Conforto could also enter the market depending on his option, adding a steady left-handed bat to a group otherwise short on impact.

Tucker’s a four-time All-Star, entering his prime, in a market starving for offense. That makes him the prize, and someone is going to back up the armored truck this winter.