It’s not often that the top free agent doesn’t get much attention from the team they’re departing but that might end up being the case this winter. Even amid an up-and-down season where he was dogged by injuries, Kyle Tucker was a key piece of the team that got the Cubs back into the NLDS for the first time since 2017. While Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer praised Tucker and suggested he’d be in contact with the outfielder’s camp this winter, virtually all reporting on the subject suggests the Cubs aren’t going to pursue a reunion in a serious manner.
The team’s focus appears to be on pitching, at least for the time being. They’ve already signed right-hander Phil Maton to help bolster their bullpen. After bringing southpaw Shota Imanaga back on a qualifying offer, they still figure to explore the market for top-of-the-rotation pitching options. A deal for someone like Michael King, Ranger Suarez, or Tatsuya Imai would certainly make sense for a team that ran out of pitching in October due to injuries to Cade Horton and Justin Steele. A trade also can’t be ruled out, with players like Edward Cabrera, Sandy Alcantara, Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and MacKenzie Gore all expected to be at least somewhat available this winter.
Even as the focus appears to be on the top of the rotation, however, the void Tucker figures to leave in the lineup is undeniable. The superstar delivered his fifth consecutive season worth at least 4.0 fWAR in 2025 as he slashed .266/.377/.464 with a 136 wRC+ in 136 games. That sort of production would be very difficult to replace internally, even with talented youngsters like Moises Ballesteros, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara knocking on the door of the majors. Ballesteros looked the best of the bunch in his cup of coffee with the big league club last year, hitting an impressive .298/.394/.474 across 66 trips to the plate in 20 games. Strong as that production was, however, it would be unreasonable to expect a 22-year-old rookie to replicate that over a full season.
Perhaps it would be understandable to roll the dice on those internal options if the Cubs had more certainty around the rest of the diamond, but the question marks are undeniable. Carson Kelly seems unlikely to recreate his career year at the plate (115 wRC+) from 2025 headed into his age-31 campaign. Matt Shaw began to show signs of life in the second half but his 93 wRC+ on the season was subpar. Dansby Swanson (99 wRC+) delivered his second consecutive below-average offensive season last year.
One big x-factor is Pete Crow-Armstrong. The budding superstar delivered a 30-30 season in 2025 and finished 9th in NL MVP voting off the back of a brilliant campaign, but his OPS dropped more than 200 points between the first half and the second half. Counting on the 23-year-old to lead the Cubs’ offense in place of Tucker next year would be a risky gamble. Also, Hoerner, Happ and Seiya Suzuki are slated for free agency next winter. Adding a reliable bat to the lineup could go a long way to preventing a step back headed into the 2027 season while also providing reinforcements for a 2026 team that will face lots of questions without Tucker in the fold.
The question, of course, becomes the team’s budget. The Cubs have been very hesitant to spend beyond the competitive balance tax for the past several years, treating it as a soft cap on spending. RosterResource projects them for a $197MM CBT figure in 2026 as things stand. The base threshold of the tax will be $244MM next year, giving them a bit more than $45MM of wiggle room.
With needs in the bullpen and the rotation, that could dry up in a hurry. Signing someone like Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman, or Kyle Schwarber wouldn’t leave a ton of room for pitching additions. Even a less expensive addition like Kazuma Okamoto or Eugenio Suarez might be challenge to make work if the team is unwilling to spend beyond the first threshold of the luxury tax.
How do MLBTR readers think the Cubs will proceed with their offense headed into 2026? Will they hope an offensive nucleus of Crow-Armstrong, Suzuki, and Michael Busch will be enough to weather the loss of Tucker? Or will they bring in an impact hitter to improve the lineup? Have your say in the poll below:
The Kyle Tucker trade was a complete disaster.
Pointless trade.
They did nothing after it.
Except trade away Bellinger who had almost as good of a season.
Total disaster class.
And then Jed Hoyer’s got extended for it.
Just unbelievable.
That package just to get them… barely a playoff series win? In the first time Hoyer ever made the playoffs! Supremely overrated GM.
No Neck
First, Jed is a B-/C+ POBO to me, not bad but not impressive. The team has built up their farm and their owner is not willing to spend like a huge city team.
I liked the Tucker deal. Paredes was acquired for Morel and was not in the Cubs’ plans. I was happy to see them trade Can Smith and keep Horton, Caissie, Alcantara, Ballesteros and Wiggins.
Even if they had traded more prospects the early season injury to Steele and late season injury to Horton made it hard to compete with amazing teams like the Dodgers, Brewers and Phillies. The Cubs won only one fewer game than the Dodgers and more than the Padres.
I hope that the Cubs do not sign Tucker. I would like to see them sign Ranger Suarez and Michael King. I hope that they do not trade a top prospect for a starting pitcher, but rather spend FA money to do it.
I don’t see them going after a big bat. Pitching.
Anthony Rendon may soon become available.
Is there anything here on big time Cub 2 time All-star George Altman’s passing?
They could sign a big bat, but then they would need someone with big hands to swing it.
A big bat? No. People keep saying they’re going to sign a top of the rotation starter but thats not gonna happen. They wanted Cease but not at 7 years. Their desire ceased at that point. And Forget Framber he’s too expensive. Maybe King? Otherwise they’ll have to trade for one.
The only way the Cubs sign a big bat is if they trade for a TOR which likely would involve at least one of those Kyle Tucker internal option replacements. It would help if Jed Hoyer expedited such a trade before the big bat free agent options start coming off the board.
I think Sandy would cost Rojas and Alcantara. He is owed 17 and 21M which is far more than Gore and Ryan will get over arb over the next two years. So Mia has a bit more need to remove contract than the other teams just looking to gain top tier talent.
Cubs are at 191M and should sit around 234M on opening day. Sandy moves the needle but Jed still has 24M to play with after.
As much as a deal revolving around a swap of Alcantaras appeals to the word play side of me, I am not excited about the Cubs acquiring Sandy and I think the Fish would want much more than Kevin plus Rojas.
In addition to being wary of Sandy Alcantara for the Cubs, I am wary of McKenzie Gore. If the Twins trade Ryan or Lopez, either would be interesting but the prospect cost would be so high that I prefer FAs.
I voted No, but I think they’re a deep market sleeper for Alonso.
Why would the Cubs have any interest in signing soon to be 31-year old and defensively challenged 1B Pete Alonso with 28-year old Michael Busch already at the position? Alonso is looking for a long term contract now that he is free of last year’s QO and that likely also means more DH time as he ages.
The always budget minded Cubs will be happy to roll with pre-arb eligible Busch at 1B and perhaps Moisés Ballesteros as their long term DH over an expensive Alonso.
Think Dansby got slandered a little. 4.5 war 105 ops+. Played in 159 games.
The Cubs are as likely to sign Bregman as the Tigers are. Perhaps moreso…
Tigers can have him.
Big bat? Probably not. They might sign a bat in case Ballesteros gets moved or takes a step back. Schwarber would be an awesome get if they were inclined and then they could move Ballesteros and some other pieces for a P. Schwarber would be such a better bat than Tucker if that’s what they think is needed and were trying to get with that dumb trade. Or what they though they were getting anyway.
No. I believe that they will trade for a SP like Sandy Alcantara because he has more contract attached than Gore or Ryan and will cost less in prospects. I don’t see Baller or Caissie tied to it. Alcantara and Rojas yes.
As far as a bat goes? They need a corner IF just in case. Long is the next guy. Candy I can see on a 1 year deal as a back up.
That is about the most impact that I expect. Caissie I expect in Iowa and Baller as DH. The season will dictate if Jed needs to adjust.
Getting Amaya back frees up Kelly to DH vs LHSP
The glaring need to replace Tucker is over played. They should be fine and I agree with Jed here.
Candy?
nickname for Jeimer Candelario.
As a bench guy on a rebuild value one year deal it works for Jed. Candy will be hard pressed to get starting gig after last year.
Sandy Alcantara is unavailable to trade for this off season. You need to get grip on who is available to trade for.
I think so. The biggest legal bat in MLB is a maximum of 42 inches in length and 2.61 inches in barrel diameter. Most of those bats sit in the $260 range so unless the Cubs are bankrupt, I think they should be able to afford some big bats…
My recommendations:
Victus Torpedo
Sam Bat 2K1
Louisville Slugger MLB Prime
very nice. at least you did not go bbcore
Pete Alonso
Hard no. Over pay for a DH is not something Jed would ever do. He would target Schwarber if he would and it is not in Jed’s DNA to over pay for pine riders
I would rank Cody as #1 if he goes unsigned by Jan. That way Jed can weesle a under market deal
I see NYY as the right fit for Cody as 18 of his 29 bombs were home cooking. He is a 20 HR bat elsewhere but his ability to smoke lefties and play 4 spots plus DH makes him highly desirable even with a lower HR outlook
Baller IMO is perfect for Jed. contact bat. decent walks. power. cheap. Jed’s wet dream come true and nothing will spoil it.
sorry guys not happening.
Never had any intention in signing Tucker. They will try to replace Tuckers production with Alcantara, Cassie and Ballesteros. They’ll attempt to tighten up the bullpen and win with better pitching and defense. The downward spiral has begun