The Cubs are acquiring right fielder Kyle Tucker from the Astros, sources confirmed to the Chicago Sun-Times. Third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-hander Hayden Wesneski and third base prospect Cam Smith will head to Houston in the deal, which is pending physicals.
Tucker has been an All-Star each of his last three seasons and collected a Gold Glove in 2022 and a Silver Slugger the next year. He posted a .993 OPS last year, landing him among the Top 10 in the majors.
An impact bat like Tucker’s is exactly what the Cubs were missing from their offense last year, when they finished 12th in run-scoring, dropping from sixth the year before. A May and June team slump ultimately sunk the Cubs’ playoff chances, despite an end-of-season resurgence.
The year before, when the Cubs finished with a plus-65 run differential, outfielder Cody Bellinger’s bounce-back season lifted the offense. But he dealt with a broken finger and broken ribs this past season, both missing time and playing through pain because of the injuries.
Shortstop Dansby Swanson led the team in WAR, according to FanGraphs (4.3), but his defense played a large role in that figure. The same goes for second baseman Nico Hoerner (3.9 WAR), who was next on the list.
“Ultimately, teams win all in all shapes and sizes,” Hoyer said Monday. “And having great defenders all over the field certainly helps. But, yes, you can’t lose sight of offense.”
Tucker, who is projected to make north of $15 million in arbitration this year, is set to hit free agency for the first time after the 2025 season.