Chicago Cubs’ Jed Hoyer suggests team can’t compete moneywise for Kyle Tucker

Kyle Tucker’s stellar play to begin 2025 could be pricing him out of the range of the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs traded key prospects, including Cam Smith, to the Houston Astros for Tucker to play on the final year of his contract.

Tucker is batting .320/.420/.650 with seven home runs and 25 RBI. He’s been a significant reason why the Cubs are 15-10 and a 1.5-game lead on the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central despite playing a grueling schedule against likely postseason contenders such as the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The Chicago Cubs want to keep Kyle Tucker long term

During an appearance on 670 The Score Wednesday, president Jed Hoyer argued that it was “hard” for the Cubs to negotiate in-season.

“Obviously, we’d love to keep Kyle long term,” Hoyer said. “Who wouldn’t want a player like that? I would keep any conversations we’re having internal. It’s hard to negotiate in-season. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with that. If we do have those conversations, we’ll keep them internal. But like I said, he’s really fun to watch.

“I think he has a huge impact on our entire team, on our entire offense. He’s a player that any team would want to have in the lineup.”

Being in-season didn’t stop the Toronto Blue Jays from giving Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a 14-year deal worth $500 million this month.

Jed Hoyer wants Tucker to stay for sentimental reasons

Money is expected to be an obstacle to keeping Tucker. Hoyer suggested that the Cubs hope that Tucker signs for sentimental reasons instead of monetary ones.

“The single best recruiting tool that the Cubs have is last night,” Hoyer said. “It’s this is a really special place to play. It’s an incredible city. It’s an even better city in the summer. Listen, he’s not going to have a shortage of suitors.

“My hope is Wrigley and Chicago become really special to him and he realizes there’s not a better place to play in baseball.”

The Cubs have been adamant that they want to extend Tucker as long as his paycheck doesn’t come at the expense of what Chicago can field around him.

Given Pete Crow Armstrong’s unwillingness to take a deal and the team’s troubles with rookies at third base, that could be a problem that sends Tucker to another suitor.

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