Kyle Tucker's 2025 steamer projections prove why the Cubs want a trade to get done

If you're a Chicago Cubs fan trying to undersell the team's efforts to trade for Houston Astros' outfielder Kyle Tucker, you are admitting two things. The first is that you don't watch Major League Baseball other than Cubs' games, and the second is that you don't play fantasy baseball.

Kyle Tucker is one of the best offensive players in baseball.

Last season, with a minimum of 300 plate appearances, only two players in all of Major League Baseball had a higher wRC+ than Tucker. Tucker registered a wRC+ of 181 last season with only Shohei Ohtani (181) and Aaron Judge (218) ahead of him. Needless to say, Tucker is the impact bat that the Cubs haven't had in their lineup since the 2016 and 2017 seasons of Kris Bryant.

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If reports are any indication, it may seem more likely than not that Tucker will be in the Cubs' starting lineup by Opening Day 2025. Taking a look at Tucker's 2025 steamer projections, it's clear why the Cubs are trying to push a trade across the finish line.

The projections have Tucker finishing the 2025 campaign with 669 plate appearances and a slash line of .276/.366/.510/148wRC+ with 33 home runs. By comparison, since Cody Bellinger likely will be elsewhere, Bellinger's steamer projections have him finishing the 2025 season with a wRC+ of 109 and 20 home runs. In the simplest view, by just looking at a replacement of Bellinger with Tucker, the Cubs' offense would be substantially better.

Tucker's projections are also a reminder of why the Cubs may be sending Cam Smith as part of the package going to the Houston Astros. With Carter Hawkins saying now is the time for the Cubs to sacrifice future wins for winning in 2025, moving a top prospect like Smith for Tucker is something that the organization should have no regrets about doing.