Cubs might lose Kyle Tucker to the one team nobody can stomach

Beyond the impact Kyle Tucker's recent rash of injuries has had on the outlook of the Chicago Cubs' playoff chances, it seems that they have also confirmed that Tucker won't be returning to the Cubs next season. Recent offseason outlooks have all but confirmed that Tucker remains the top positional free agent on the market this winter, and if rival executives are to be believed, the All-Star right fielder's next destination is already known.

In his Sunday notebook for USA Today, Bob Nightengale suggested that Tucker was headed to a team that Cubs fans love to hate.

"Despite Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker’s struggles since the All-Star break, hitting .242 with only five homers and 17 RBI, rival executives still believe he’ll be the highest-paid player in free agency. Their prediction where he’ll land? The Dodgers, who badly could use outfield help."

Kyle Tucker is now a target for baseball’s biggest villains

In most cases, it seems that the Dodgers go to unforeseen lengths in free agency, signing players at a position where they don't exactly have a need. That isn't the case for Tucker, considering the failed signing of Michael Conforto and Teoscar Hernandez's inconsistencies. Tucker would be an easy fit in the Dodgers' outfield.

The Dodgers' interest in Tucker is only more confirmation of why the veteran outfielder's slump in July and August may have cost him some money; he is still in line to get paid this offseason. Beyond the Dodgers, the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, and Philadelphia Phillies are the other teams expected to check in on Tucker this winter.

As we get closer to the offseason, it seems that the Cubs have fallen toward the back of the pack, in terms of teams expected to pursue Tucker this offseason. Once believed to be the favorite to retain the superstar they traded for last December, the Cubs' actions at the trade deadline all but suggest they are ready for Owen Caissie to take the veteran's spot in the lineup next season. If that's the case, it's hard to look at the trade with the Astros last offseason as anything but a failure.

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