Kyle Tucker sends a PSA to the Cubs following Vladimir Guerrero's contract extension

There is nothing or no one higher on Chicago Cubs fans' wish lists than Kyle Tucker being a long-term member of the franchise. Since he first arrived in the Windy City, fans have been clamoring to sign the outfielder to a long-term deal.

His start to the 2025 campaign (which now includes a Player of the Week honor) has only fueled that fire. Several teams have signed their best players to long extensions already this season, including, of course, Vladimir Guerrero Jr to that massive deal on Sunday, and that’s only further got Cubbies fans wishing and hoping. However, some recent comments Kyle Tucker made to the media on Monday afternoon may not fill anyone with much confidence that a deal will get done before the offseason.

“It’s what he wanted to do,” Tucker said in response to Guerrero Jr’s new deal, according to Chicago Cubs beat writer Jesse Rogers. “I’m sure he loves playing in Toronto. That’s great for him. Everyone is a little different. Right now I’m here to play this year and play for the Cubs…We’ll see where everything goes after that.”

That hardly sounds like someone champing at the bit to sign an extension. Even if he’s been very complimentary about his new team and its fans.

Of course, it’s hard to blame him after seeing the deal that the Toronto Blue Jays were willing to hand out. The multiple extensions already this April also means that the free agent pool will be even thinner than first thought. Dollar signs have to be dancing through the slugger’s head.

Kyle Tucker has also gotten off to one heck of a start to the season for the Chicago Cubs. The right fielder is hitting .315 with 5 home runs and 15 RBI in the team’s first 12 games, and he’s a big reason why they turned around a 1-3 start to the 2025 campaign and have won six of their last eight. 

Kyle Tucker isn’t ruling an extension out entirely, but if the Chicago Cubs plan on keeping one of the best power hitters in the game past this summer, it will probably be as a free agent in the fall.