Jeff Passan breathes life into Kyle Tucker rumors for Cubs fans

It's only the first month of the 2025 season but there has already been a whirlwind of Kyle Tucker contract rumors for the Chicago Cubs.

There seems to be a debate regarding whether or not the Cubs have started the process of negotiating a contract extension for Tucker. Along those lines, it would seem foolish that after trading for Tucker in December, the Cubs have yet to have a single conversation with Excel Sports Management regarding a potential contract. That doesn't mean there are active negotiations taking place but it would be a safe bet to say the initial conversation has already happened.

Tucker's next contract was the subject of conversation between ESPN colleagues Buster Olney and Jeff Passan. After being asked by Olney where Tucker will be playing next season, Passan gave a lifeline to Cubs fans.

We get it, conventional wisdom and the Cubs' actions make a compelling case to say emphatically that Tucker won't be back with the team next season. However, not bringing back Tucker feels like a level of baseball-operation negligence that even Tom Ricketts realizes he can't reach.

Passan makes the connection between the Cubs' situation with Tucker to what the Blue Jays were facing with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. After failed pursuits of Shohei Ohtani and never quite being involved in the bidding for Juan Soto, the Blue Jays had no option but to ensure that Guerrero was going to be sticking around for the next decade and change.

The Cubs find themselves in a similar position. The biggest difference is, unlike the Blue Jays, the Cubs haven't even bothered to give the impression that they are willing to spend on the top tier of free-agent players.

However, the reason why Tucker is a different example is because his value is already hitting the organization in the face. If you take Tucker out of the Cubs' lineup next season, there is a massive void that simply wouldn't be filled, given how the free-agent market is shaping up.

The easiest way for Ricketts to restore his approval rating among Cubs fans is to sign off on the extension for Tucker. Otherwise, it will only be more clear that his top priority isn't the Cubs winning games on the field.