The Chicago Cubs currently sit with a 1.5 game lead in the NL Central through the first 30 games of the 2025 season after playing their first divisional game on Tuesday. They took care of business in the first of a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 9-0 victory where the team did not strike out once. This is the first time this has happened for a Cubs squad since the 2013 season, and it continues to add onto the team having serious buzz early on in the campaign.
The Cubs have an 18-12 record heading into Wednesday evening’s contest with the Pirates where Matthew Boyd will get the ball with a chance to take the series before getaway day. Despite Chicago having a much easier schedule in May compared to what they began the year with in April, plenty of NL Central action will keep them on their toes as they prepare for the summer.
There are still some areas of the roster that need to be properly addressed throughout the summer. This team won’t be able to get by long term with what they have at third base and the inconsistent arms in their bullpen. All of that aside, a major reason why the Cubs are sitting how they are right now is due to their big offseason acquisition in the outfield.
Chicago Cubs’ star Kyle Tucker already in All-MLB talks
Through the first month of the 2025 season, Tucker was recognized on the All-MLB first team poll. The slugger has seven home runs and 26 runs driven in over the course of his 30 games played in this season. Tucker is slashing .288/.397/.568 with an .965 OPS in 118 at-bats and has automatically made everyone in the lineup around him significantly better this year.
Tucker as come through in some big spots for the Cubs and has shown off his clutch gene early on in the Windy City. He has instantly been an upgrade over Cody Bellinger in right field, who the organization dealt to the Yankees shortly after Tucker was acquired from Houston in December. The 28-year-old will give Chicago a real chance at playing significant games down the stretch if he can continue to impact the game every night.
The Chicago Cubs front office can’t let Kyle Tucker leave the city
The pressure was immediately on Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office after they pulled off a trade for Tucker. He is the best player that the organization has had since Kris Bryant was in his prime years and he has certainly fit the mold of a franchise corner stone in a big market like Chicago so far.
Tucker will not come cheap for obvious reasons, but the front office and ownership group needs to do everything they can to assure that he will not leave Chicago after the 2025 season. He can change the game with one swing and is simply an all around presence that cannot be replaced once you have him in the fold. If he can’t be extended this offseason, the trade could be a colossal failure for years to come.
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