Bad Optics as Cubs Don’t Come to Agreement with Kyle Tucker (For Now)
That’s the main takeaway from most Cubs fans Thursday night as the team failed to come to an agreement with Kyle Tucker and for now are headed to an arbitration hearing. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported that the two sides were $2.5 million apart leading up to Thursday night’s deadline.
Tucker, who will be a free agent following the 2025 season, is looking for a $17.5 million salary this year. The Cubs offered $15 million to the star right fielder.
The Cubs and newly acquired OF Kyle Tucker could not come to an agreement on a salary for 2025, per a source. The Cubs filed at $15 mil. Tucker's camp at $17.5 mil.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 10, 2025
So, what happens now? Well, contrary to the immediate frustration felt by the fan base, the Cubs and Tucker can continue to negotiate until February, when arbitration hearings are usually held for MLB.
But sure, it does look bad that you traded for your new star player and then could not agree on a salary for him.
MLBTR, which does a pretty good job of projecting these arb-year salaries, estimated that Tucker would get $15.8 million in 2025. The left-handed hitter only played in 78 games for the Houston Astros in 2024, but was still able to put up a 4.2 fWAR after slugging 23 home runs and a 180 wRC+ across 339 plate appearances. Elite stuff from Tucker, who agreed to a $12 million salary last year.
Tucker was one of 17 arb-eligible players who did not come to an agreement with their teams on a 2025 salary.
… Jose Quijada, Luis Rengifo, Dennis Santana, Alex Vesia, Taylor Walls.
— Alden González (@Alden_Gonzalez) January 10, 2025
Second-largest gap, behind Tucker’s $2.5M: King ($8.8M) and Padres ($7.325M).
I know nobody wants to hear it right now, but this is not the end of the world. If you already thought the Cubs weren’t extending Tucker or were never going to try and re-sign him, then an agreement Thursday night on his 2025 salary wasn’t changing your mind anyway.
This is a completely different situation, but Ian Happ went to a hearing and won his salary case with the Cubs in 2021 and then a few years later signed an extension, passing up free agency when he would have been a top-5 outfielder on the market following the 2023 season.
By the way, Happ and Tucker are both represented by Excel Sports Management. Does that mean anything? Probably not, but neither does Tucker and the Cubs not agreeing to a deal on Thursday.
If you’re looking for a better comparison, then look no further to the New York Yankees and their star outfielder.
Aaron Judge and the Yankees exchanged arbitration numbers back in Judge’s final year of arb in 2022 (They eventually settled the morning of the hearing).
— FullCountTommy (@FullCountTommy) January 10, 2025
He re-upped 6 months later.
Doesn’t make Tucker less annoying right now, but like I said…currently meaningless.
Regardless, Tucker is playing for the Cubs in 2025. That’s not changing and he’ll either earn $15 million or $17.5 million or the two sides will come to an agreement within the next month or so on a different figure.