The Chicago Cubs got themselves a good one when they traded for Houston Astros star right fielder Kyle Tucker in December.
The deal cost them third baseman Isaac Paredes, promising right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and third base mega-prospect Cam Smith, but acquiring someone like Tucker, even if it’s for just one year, is never going to come cheap.
The 28-year-old multi-tool player is a three-time all-star and former Gold Glover who consistently puts up elite-level numbers. Last year, before a fluke foul ball resulted in a shin fracture that cost him three months of the season, he was on a pace to have a statistical career year. Some are predicting that Tucker is hitting his absolute prime as a Cub and could even walk away with NL MVP honors.
Tucker May Shine Outside Of Houston
In an interview for the North Side Territory podcast, Astros beat reporter Chandler Rome even suggested that the move away from the Astros clubhouse and into the Cubs clubhouse could result in him having a significantly higher profile and, as a result, become a bigger star as the face of a franchise.
“Personality and clubhouse as part of that team, he got dwarfed a lot,” Rome said. “He was in a clubhouse with Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yordan Alvarez, and Carlos Correa for a while, and Justin Verlander.
“When you have that many established superstars, you kind of get, I don’t wanna say forgotten about, but he didn’t have to be the voice, the face, the guy that did all the interviews, things like that.”
The Face Of A Franchise?
Rome also noted that Tucker is quiet by nature, but that the face of a franchise doesn’t always have to be gregariously outgoing.
“Look at Jose Ramirez in Cleveland,” Rome asserted. “I don’t think anyone would describe him as outgoing.”
Whatever’s the case, there’s no denying Tucker’s ability and consistency of production. He’s been a 30 home run, 100+ RBI, double-digit stolen base guy in every full season he’s played and was on a pace to hit 40+ home runs last season.
Kyle Tucker Is That Good
“Anytime you add a bat like Kyle Tucker to the team, in the lineup, even the way he plays defense is incredible,” Chicago ace and new teammate Justin Steele said in a recent appearance on the North Side Territory podcast. “I played a ton against him in High-A and just remember thinking this guy is going to be a stud…
“He’s still young, great left-handed swing, plays defense really hard,” Steele continued. “He’s only gotten better every single year. He’s a fun player to watch and I’m excited to get around him.”
Back in Houston, there was an inside joke that spread out to the fandom: “If no one got me, I know Kyle Tucker got me.” It was a play on the well-traveled “If no one got me, I know God got me” meme and it demonstrated just how much faith everyone had in Tucker’s dependability and capacity for coming through when needed.
Tucker does have the chance to shine as a Cub and become a face of a franchise. The only question is whether he’ll use Chicago as a springboard to doing that in another city, for a team more willing to give him more money for more years.
He’ll definitely do his thing on the field this year. From there, the ball is in the hands of Cubs ownership.
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