3 offseason backup plans if the Cubs fail to extend Kyle Tucker

It's an uncomfortable truth that Chicago Cubs fans will need to accept sooner rather than later. The odds of this team giving Kyle Tucker a $500 million contract are very slim.

I wish things were different, but let's face reality. Tucker will likely be able to ask for a deal in this range, and the Cubs have never shown a willingness to come anywhere close to that figure in their free agent pursuits since Tom Ricketts took control of the team in 2009. Throw in the fact that reports suggest that the Cubs will not give out deferred money for their contracts, and you can pretty much kiss Tucker goodbye.

But it may not be all doom and gloom. The emergence of Pete Crow-Armstrong as a budding superstar will soften the blow of Tucker's hypothetical departure. And there are solid options to help pick up the offensive slack if Tucker is gone after 2025. Here are three options the Cubs need to start considering now.

Cubs have a variety of fallback options if Kyle Tucker walks

1. Sign Kyle Schwarber

This offseason brings the real possibility that the Cubs could bring back Kyle Schwarber. The Phillies' slugger is set to hit the open market after the 2025 campaign, where he has already proven that he can still produce. At 32 years old, the former Cub has 22 home runs through his first 74 games this year, putting him on pace to collect more than 40 long balls this year. This would be the third time he has hit more than 40 in a season since 2022, with the only exception being 2024 when he hit 38.

And this is the cornerstone of Schwarber's game. He hits home runs, he drives in runs (53 this year), and takes walks (52). His left-handed prowess in the batter's box would bring a similar vibe to the lineup that Tucker does, although with a bit less speed on the basepaths. But if Schwarber is still hitting 40+ home runs a year, you take the swap for the right price.

Bringing Schwarber back would be good for everyone, and rectify what was hands-down the biggest mistake the Cubs made since Hoyer assumed control of the front office in 2020. Just before commencing a tough rebuild, which saw him trade the 2016 World Series core, Hoyer didn't even bother holding onto Schwarber to see what he would fetch on the trade market. Instead, he decided not to give the former first-round pick a contract and let him walk for nothing.

Five years later, Hoyer has the opportunity to give Schwarber a $25 million per year contract as he heads into his age-33 season. This makes too much sense if Tucker leaves, as the Cubs can put Seiya Suzuki back in right field and have Schwarber act as the everyday designated hitter.

2. Turn to Owen Caissie

As long as they don't trade him this year, Owen Caissie could be a solid long-term solution for right field. The Canadian native is already considered one of the best sluggers in the minor leagues and he is only 22-years-old. At the Triple-A level in 2024-25, Caissie has smacked 30 home runs, 46 doubles, and drawn 105 walks.

The ability at the plate is there, and Caissie is a solid option if he can play average defense in right field. This would obviously be a gamble because there is a huge difference between consistently producing at Triple-A and doing it in the big leagues. The other problem is that teams will almost certainly want Caissie if the Cubs come calling for a starting pitcher at the trade deadline. As the team's second-ranked prospect, and no. 45 in MiLB, it will be hard to trade for a quality starter without him in the deal.

3. Sign Marcell Ozuna

This is my least favorite option, considering Marcell Ozuna's off-the-field issues in the past, but there is no denying that the right-handed slugger has been one of the more productive designated hitters in recent years. From 2023-24, Ozuna hit 79 home runs (sixth in MLB during that period) and drove in 204 runs (ninth), which helped earn the Atlanta Brave a trip to the All-Star Game last year.

The free agent market is relatively thin of sluggers next year aside from Tucker, Schwarber, and Pete Alonso if he opts out of his contract with the Mets. But Alonso is not a great fit, considering the Cubs have Michael Busch and Alonso would probably be unwilling to DH full-time.

Ozuna is a power-hitting option, and he could be relatively cheap since he is having a bit of a down year and heading into his age-35 season. The gamble here is that the power numbers dip, which is offset by the fact that Ozuna is walking at a clip of 17.2 percent (second in MLB), is not a sign of things to come as Ozuna heads into the final years of his career.

Like I said, this is not my favorite option, but one that should be considered anyway, given Ozuna's track record at the plate in recent years.