(670 The Score) The Cubs acquired star right fielder Kyle Tucker in December with the hope that he could transform their lineup and improve their chances to contend for a World Series championship in 2025, and he's done just that early on.
Tucker’s arrival came in the final year of his contract, with the Cubs understanding that signing him to an extension wouldn’t be simple. Tucker's red-hot start early on has only strengthened his case for a lucrative long-term deal.
On Score Middays on Wednesday, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made it clear that the team would like to sign the 28-year-old Tucker to a long-term deal but cautioned a lot goes into it.
“Obviously, we’d love to keep Kyle long term,” Hoyer said. “Who wouldn’t want a player like that? I would keep any conversations we’re having internal. It’s hard to negotiate in-season. I’m not sure what’s going to happen with that. If we do have those conversations, we’ll keep them internal. But like I said, he’s really fun to watch. I think he has a huge impact on our entire team, on our entire offense. He’s a player that any team would want to have in the lineup."
Hoyer then referenced the Cubs' wild come-from-behind 11-10 win against the Dodgers on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Tucker hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning to pull the Cubs within one. The Cubs then tied the game in the bottom of the ninth before winning it in the 10th.
“The single best recruiting tool that the Cubs have is last night," Hoyer said. "It’s this is a really special place to play. It’s an incredible city. It’s an even better city in the summer. Listen, he’s not going to have a shortage of suitors. My hope is Wrigley and Chicago become really special to him and he realizes there’s not a better place to play in baseball.”
Tucker is hitting .320 with seven home runs, 25 RBIs and a 1.070 OPS in 25 games this season.
The Cubs and Dodgers square off Wednesday evening in the finale of their two-game series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m., with pregame coverage starting at 5:25 p.m. on 670 The Score and the Audacy app.