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CHICAGO – Kyle Tucker played his first major league games at Wrigley Field when the Houston Astros visited the Chicago Cubs in April. It was cold, he said, and a lot of fun.
“These fans love their Cubs,” Tucker said. “That’s kind of what it felt like, you know, from the visiting team.”
Now he will be able to try it out from the home team.
The Cubs acquired Tucker in a trade last week, adding the versatile star to a lineup in need of another dangerous bat. The right fielder was limited to 78 games this year because of a broken tibia, but still hit 23 home runs and drove in 49 runs.
The cost was significant — third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and highly regarded prospect Cam Smith were sent to Houston — but Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer felt it was worth it. Even for a player eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.
“We have a lot of really good players on the team. We’re very balanced,” Hoyer said Tuesday in his first public comments since the trade. “But it felt like we were missing that kind of consolidation (wins above replacement), I would say, in our squad in one player. And obviously Tucker is just one of the best players in baseball, period.”
The trade for the three-time All-Star is Hoyer’s boldest move yet, as the Cubs posted an 83-79 record this season and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Matthew Boyd was added to the rotation when he agreed to a two-year, $29 million deal on Dec. 7, and catcher Carson Kelly agreed to a two-year, $11.5 million deal last week.
Chicago had a surplus of outfielders after acquiring Tucker and traded Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees on Tuesday. The Cubs also agreed to send $5 million to the Yankees as part of the deal for right-hander Cody Poteet, a person familiar with the negotiations said.
The move creates more financial flexibility for Chicago, which it could use to bolster its bullpen or potentially a veteran infielder if top prospect Matt Shaw isn’t ready to fill his spot at third base.
“It’s still early in the offseason,” Hoyer said before news of the Bellinger trade broke. “And certainly there are a lot of players out there and our team is not complete. … We’re not done yet.”
The catching situation appears to be resolved and Kelly joins Miguel Amaya behind the plate. Kelly played for Detroit and Texas this year, posting a .238 batting average with nine home runs and 37 RBIs in 91 games.
Kelly, a 30-year-old Chicago native, grew up a Cubs fan.
“It’s something very special. I mean, my family grew up there,” Kelly said. “We moved when I was very young. But my father grew up there. My mother grew up there. My uncle still lives there.”
The active offseason for Chicago begins with Hoyer entering the final year of his contract with the Cubs. But he rejected the idea that it could be a factor in his decision-making. He also declined to discuss the possibility of an extension for him with the team.
“My own situation is like that, it’s nothing to worry about. … My job is always to be the best steward of the organization,” Hoyer said.
From Hoyer’s perspective, that means making deals like the one for Tucker, one of baseball’s best hitters since 2021. He batted .284 with 29 homers, an AL-best 112 RBIs and 30 steals in 2023.
Tucker, who turns 28 on Jan. 17, was at his Houston teammate Myles Straw’s wedding in Florida when the trade was made.
“I’m trying to do all the groomsmen stuff and get ready for their wedding while also trying to take a few calls that day and stuff like that,” he said. “It’s kind of funny how it all worked out.”
Tucker has been with Houston since being selected by the team with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He played in three World Series with the Astros and won it all in 2022.
Tucker, who is about to hit free agency, said he would be open to discussions with Chicago about a long-term deal. Hoyer also hinted that the team was interested, but promised to maintain discussions between Tucker’s camp and the organization.
“Definitely Chicago is a great city to play in. Great city in general,” Tucker said. “So I’m open to anything.”
