Photo: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

With the Dodgers Lurking, Now is the Time to Lock Kyle Tucker Down

Originally posted on On Tap Sports Net | By Bobby Foster | Last updated May 12, 2025 1:59 AM ET

A recent report from MLB insider Bob Nightengale paints a disappointing, though not surprising, wrinkle into the Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker conundrum. The Los Angeles Dodgers appear poised to join the sweepstakes for the slugger's services this offseason.

Even with stars like Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, there seems to be no ceiling high enough to stop the Dodgers from spending. This situation emphasizes the urgency for the Chicago Cubs to get a deal done.

The team is in a predicament that could alter fan morale for years to come. After being without a true star, one is currently in the organization and contributing at a high level. Losing that player after just one season would be a serious blow to the organization's future.

The Cubs are a big-market club, and it's about time they start acting like one. Looking around the league, many teams have found their stars to hitch their wagons to. Just last offseason, the Mets went above and beyond to make Juan Soto a significant part of their team.

It's time for Kyle Tucker to feel that love and commitment from a franchise that needs him more than he needs it. Whether he buys into that soon remains to be seen, but the Cubs have no excuse but to put their best foot forward.

In addition to the large payday he deserves, the Cubs can pitch their case for Tucker to turn the page on the 2016 team and take the reins as the new face of the franchise.

Jed Hoyer made it clear that the #Cubs hope to sign Kyle Tucker on a contract extension, but added that "it's hard to negotiate in-season."

From @ScoreMiddays: https://t.co/dUW0P2UGIg pic.twitter.com/j6cuFh5iqf
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) April 23, 2025

While the last two seasons of Cody Bellinger were fun, it was clear that he didn't have the ability to kick this team into second gear. Kyle Tucker, on the other hand, is able to break through that ceiling and then some.

As former manager Joe Maddon once said about Dexter Fowler: "You go, we go." This lineup is so much better with Tucker in it than without him. The power alone is something the team has struggled to obtain in recent years.

The onus is on the Cubs' brass to shed their recent frugal reputation and make Tucker the face of the franchise for many years to come. If not, it will be just another example of a team that can't get out of its own way.

This article first appeared on On Tap Sports Net and was syndicated with permission.

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