Jed Hoyer drops the hammer on Kyle Tucker while praising Alex Bregman

When Kyle Tucker hit free agency, everyone knew what that meant. It was a one-and-done between the All-Star outfielder and the Chicago Cubs. He played well, earning his fourth straight Midsummer Classic selection and the second Silver Slugger Award of his career. But an injury-marred second half saw his numbers crater and his absence was felt in the middle of the lineup.

At no point this winter did a reunion between the Cubs and Tucker feel like a possibility. There were essentially zero rumors in the media that raised the possibility - and during Alex Bregman's introductory press conference on Thursday at Wrigley Field, we may have gotten a good idea why.

Yes, there are deferrals in this deal that reduce the present-day value, but we're still talking about being willing to pay a player $35 million a year. Bregman turns 32 this spring, while Tucker turns 29 later this month. The logical 'safe' bet at that high price point would be Tucker - but that's not who Jed Hoyer locked in on as soon as the offseason began.

Alex Bregman brings more than just his on-field production to the Cubs

Now, sure. Tucker's final price tag is likely to be far higher than the $175 million the Cubs gave Bregman. But given the age difference, a longer-term pact may have been in the cards, except for the fact that it seems like the team wasn't enamored with the role he played in the clubhouse last season, despite his strong performance on the field.

In calling out Bregman's focus on teammates (he called his teammates and worked on learning Spanish to better communicate with some of them) and winning, Hoyer seems to have said the quiet part out loud: they feel Bregman does these things - and Tucker didn't.

Part of it is personality. Tucker has always been a quiet, understated guy - and there's nothing wrong with that. But given the dollars he's looking for in free agency, there are going to be teams (including the Cubs) that want more than the numbers on the back of the baseball card. They want a leader, a face of the franchise - someone who cares about and elevates the play of everyone around him.

That's what Bregman brings to the table. And that's a big reason why the team went to these lengths to land him, righting a wrong from last winter, when they low-balled the former All-Star and watched him sign with the Red Sox.

Now, a Cub, the Bregman Era is upon us - and it won't be long before Tucker's one season in Wrigleyville is nothing but a fleeting memory.