Evaluating How the Kyle Tucker Trade Affects the Chicago Cubs Roster

The Chicago Cubs roster may have some ripple effects for their 26-man roster after they traded for 3-time All-Star Kyle Tucker.

The 2025 season just became a whole lot more exciting with the acquisition of outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros on Friday December 13th, 2024. The Chicago Cubs needed to make a big splash this off season with either signing one of the big-name positional players like Juan Soto or for one of the big-name starting pitchers who were on the market like Corbin Burnes. It turns out they were never in on Juan Soto who ended up signing a fifteen-year $765 million with the New York Mets and Corbin Burnes still as of this writing is a free agent.

Now however the Cubs have if nothing else got exactly what they were looking for in Kyle Tucker. In 78 games last season Kyle Tucker had 80 hits, 13 doubles, 23 HRs, 49 RBI, 11 stolen bases, with a slash line of .289/.408/.585 for an OPS and OPS+ of .993 181. A solid power hitter who can also hit for average according to FanGraphs Kyle Tucker figures to slide nicely into the two hole just behind Ian Happ and just in front of Seiya Suzuki who last year hit .283 with 21 HRs for the Cubs last season will provide excellent protection for Tucker.

What does the Outfield look like?

The Chicago Cubs will enter 2025 deep with players who can play the outfield. On their 40-man the Cubs currently are carrying eight players (including Tucker) who play the outfield. The projected starters for next season in the outfield as I see it will be Ian Happ in left, Pete row-Armstrong in center, and Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki splitting time in right (as well as DH) with Tucker getting the bulk of the time in right field.

Cody Bellinger will figure to get time in center field as well as first base, if he’s not traded before the season starts. Then there’s Owen Caissie who was recently added to the 40-man to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, as well as Kevin Alcántara, and Alexander Canario.

What Will Happen to Cody Bellinger?

Now that Kyle Tucker is here and with Pete Crow-Armstrong looking like a future star and needing more playing time Cody Bellinger is starting to look like the odd-man out. Since the start of free agency, the Chicago Cubs have been searching for a suitor to trade Bellinger to with the New York Yankees looking like their emerging to be the favorites for him.

With their needs for a center fielder and a first basemen not that Soto left adding Cody Bellinger appears to be a no brainer for the New York Yankees. Sadly, those talks between the Yankees and Cubs for Cody Bellinger have hit a snag over whether or not the Chicago Cubs will “eat” some of Bellinger’s contract he is owed.

At the least Bellinger will be owed $32.5 million the next two seasons ($27.5 this year, $5 million for a buyout for the next) and at the most $52.5 million ($25 million player option 2026). According to Jacob Zanolla the Cubs are willing to eat around $5-7 million of Bellinger’s contract. I have been saying the Chicago Cubs would need to eat around $10 million so this tracks well.

If the New York Yankees were unwilling to part ways with right-hander Luis Gil for someone as regarded as Kyle Tucker than the Yankees would be hard pressed to do it for Cody Bellinger. Especially since the Yankees traded from their starting pitching depth with sending left-hander Nestor Cortes over to the Milwakuee Brewers along with Caleb Durbin for Closer Devin Williams. Will Warren’s name was also thrown out in early talks between the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs. He is their #5th ranked prospect. I still think that the Chicago Cubs should still pursue a trade with the Seattle Mariners who desperately need offense and power which Cody Bellinger could provide.

Who will Play over at Third Base now that Isaac Paredes is Gone?

I believe the answer to that question will be filled internally with the Cubs top prospect in the whole organization Matt Shaw. The 23-year-old Matt Shaw is baseballs number 22 overall prospect with high expectations coming into this year. Shaw spent time in both Double and Triple A last season in which he played in 121 games between the two levels he hit: .284/.379/.488/.867 with 21hrs, 71 RBI, 4 triples, 19 doubles, and 126 hits.

Shaw who played third base this winter for team USA went on an offensive tirade for them in the Premier12 tournament. In the Premier12 games Shaw hit .412 with 2 HRs and lead the whole tournament with 14 RBIs. In Team USA game over the Netherlands Shaw managed to go 4-5 with 7 RBIs also stealing 2 bases in their route against the Netherlands with a score of 12-2. With those numbers Matt Shaw went on to tie the Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. with driving in 7 runs in a game.

Either way, Shaw will be most likely be a spring training invitee now that there is a need over at third base. Another trade to get someone to play third could be coming, but with the Chicago Cubs having a ton of position player prospects ready to be promoted I think Shaw is the perfect fit to play at third.

What about the Starting Rotation?

The rotation for the Chicago Cubs as it stacks out will feature Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, Mattew Boyd, and a mix of Javier Assad, Ben Brown, and Jordan Wicks. Assad figures to get the most looks at the fifth spot making 29 starts in the rotation last season. Brown was cleared recently to begin his off-season throwing program which is a good sign and if he doesn’t crack the starting rotation, he’ll be a good fit for the bullpen. As for Wicks, I believe he’ll start the year in the bullpen making spot starts or being the long reliever if need be.

The Chicago Cubs really need to find a true number “Ace” like pitcher to anchor this rotation and I firmly believe Logan Gilbert is that man for the Chicago Cubs. I have written about the Cubs pursuing Gilbert extensively and they need to make it happen. With Jacob Zanolla reporting that the Cubs are willing to eat $5-$7 million of Bellinger’s contract this would be the perfect time to strike and get Logan Gilbert.

The Seattle Mariners need someone to play first base and Cody Bellinger can provide gold glove caliber defense a first for the Mariners as well as providing them a solid bat for their lineup. We saw that the price for trading for a pitcher like Garrett Crochet cost the Boston Red Sox four prospect, two of which were MLB top 100 prospects. I believe in order to acquire Logan Gilbert a similar price would probably have to be made.

The Deal for Logan Gilbert

The Seattle Mariners receive: first basemen/outfielder Cody Bellinger, second basemen/outfielder James Triantos (Cubs #5 prospect, MLB #55 prospect), third basemen/second basemen Pedro Ramirez (Cubs #10 prospect), right-handed pitcher Cade Horton (Cubs #3 prospect, MLB #42 prospect)

The Chicago Cubs receive: right-handed pitcher Logan Gilber and right-handed pitcher (CL) Andrés Muñoz

I think this is a fair deal given the price of starting pitching on the trade market. The Seattle Mariners are getting Cody Bellinger who can slide over a first base for them and give them possibly 30 HRs with close to a .270 average. They’re also getting two MLB top 100 prospects in James Triantos and Cade Horton. Triantos is ready to make his debut in the major leagues and with the Mariners needing an everyday second basemen since they released Jorge Polanco.

Currently Triantos is blocked with Nico Hoerner still on the roster and Matt Shaw looking to be the first of the prospects to see any playing time at the Major League level, sending Triantos to the Mariners where he can get everyday reps and at-bats could only benefit him and the Mariners. As for Horton he can go and fill in the rotation for the Mariners and see what he can do at the Major League level as well.

The Chicago Cubs will finally get their Ace that they need since they appear to be focusing more on acquiring starting pitching through trades and saving the free agent market for the finishing touches. In Andrés Muñoz the Chicago Cubs will be getting a real deal lock down closer which they desperately lack. With the recent acquisition of Eli Morgan from the Cleveland Guardians who figures to be their 7th inning guy, the Cubs would just need to find another arm to pair with Morgan, in particular a lefty to either pitch the 7th or 8th.

Overall, the acquisition of Kyle Tucker only makes the Chicago Cubs better. With only a few more pieces to fill on the roster, the Cubs are beginning to have the makings of a real deal playoff roster. All that’s left is to hammer out an extension with Kyle Tucker as well as left-hander Justin Steele who was projected to receive a contract extension by Patrick Mooney and Tim Britton of The Athletic.

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