Breaking down two potential Cubs' free agent fits: Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Tucker

Two Kyles. Two game-changing bats who are on their way to free agency this winter, and the Chicago Cubs need to sign one of them.

Tucker has made an obvious impact on the Cubs' lineup this year, particularly in the first half of the season. Even when he is "slumping," Tucker limits his strikeouts, doesn't chase pitches outside the zone, and he draws walks at a remarkable 15 percent clip. He is a stingy batter for pitchers to face who gives lineup protection to everyone around him, which is partially why Seiya Suzuki has had such an outstanding year himself.

Tucker's skid in the power department is a concern since he only has one home run since the beginning of July. Bu the right fielder makes up for it in plate discipline, above-average defense in right field, and good base running instincts (24 steals this year). The Cubs should obviously give the 28-year-old a contract extension, but the projected numbers make it extremely hard to believe that the team will pony up the cash.

Insiders have speculated that Tucker's eventual deal will land somewhere between $350-$500 million total. Even the lower end of that spectrum is considerably larger than the most lucrative contract the Cubs have dished out in team history (Jason Heyward $184 million). Heyward didn't live up to that money and the Cubs have been annoyingly frugal with their payroll, despite charging absurd prices for tickets and concessions at Wrigley Field.

The team shed money last offseason when they dumped Cody Bellinger to the New York Yankees, and they failed to live up to the promise of reinvesting that money into the team in both free agency and at the trade deadline. The Cubs front office didn't even bother negotiating with the top free agent starting pitchers last year, despite the clear need for a quality starter.

With all of this in mind, Tucker will probably be playing in a different uniform next season and beyond. But there is an alternative option that could soften the blow of losing Tucker.

A Kyle Schwarber reunion could make a lot of sense

One of the greatest failures of the Cubs since Jed Hoyer took over the team's front office was non-tendering left-handed slugger Kyle Schwarber. After the Cubs dumped Schwarber for nothing, he emerged as one of the most prolific home run hitters in the league. Since the beginning of the 2021 season, Aaron Judge (233) and Shohei Ohtani (219) are the only players with more home runs than Schwarber (205).

The Cubs have a chance to rectify that mistake with Schwarber hitting free agency this winter. The former first-round pick will be 33 next March, but he has shown no signs of slowing down. The lefty slugger is enjoying an MVP-caliber campaign in 2025, with 42 home runs, 97 RBI, and 78 walks through his first 118 games. Schwarber is on pace to set career-highs in the home run and RBI categories and give Ohtani a run for his money in the NL MVP race.

Even if Schwarber wins the MVP, he will likely be significantly cheaper than Tucker this offseason. Not that it should matter because a big-market team like the Cubs should pay for the high-end talent anyway, but that's another matter. Schwarber is a pure designated hitter who doesn't play the outfield much anymore and isn't a strong baserunner. He doesn't bring as many tools to the table and is four years older than Tucker.

That being said, Schwarber is projected to land a four-to-five year contract in the $100-$150 million range, which is very affordable even for the Cubs. The team's 2025 payroll is still about $30 million below the first competitive balance tax threshold, and more money will be coming off the books with guys like Tucker ($16.5 million), Ryan Pressly ($11 million), Justin Turner ($6 million), and others hitting free agency.

The Cubs would solve their loss of Tucker by adding Schwarber. Suzuki could play the outfield full time again while Schwarber slides into the DH role. And bringing back a World Series hero like Schwarber, who fans have been forced to watch excel with other teams for years, could go a long way in repairing the disdain that many fans have for the Cubs' front office and ownership right now.