New jersey sales rankings show how important a Kyle Tucker extension is for the Cubs

The Chicago Cubs haven't had true star power since 2021 - the same year Jed Hoyer jettisoned the core of the 2016 World Series roster, trading Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez in a matter of days and setting course on a multi-year rebuild.

That changed this winter when Hoyer made an uncharacteristically aggressive, win-now move, acquiring three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in exchange for top prospect Cam Smith, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and infielder Isaac Paredes. If it was such a big move, then why is Tucker nowhere to be found in the latest MLB jersey sales rankings?

Simple. Because Cubs fans have absolutely no faith that ownership will do what's necessary to keep Tucker, who will hit free agency at year's end, in Wrigleyville past this season.

Tucker is expected to command a contract in the $400 million range, making him one of the highest-paid players in all of baseball. Chicago, meanwhile, is yet to sign its first $200 million contract, leaving a chasmic gap that seems unlikely to be bridged in one offseason.

The top 20 MLB jersey sales list is loaded with Dodgers, led by reigning NL MVP Shohei Ohtani at #1. Five other Dodgers crack the top 20; no other team has more than two players on the list. The Cubs haven't had a single player make this list at any point since 2021, when Javier Baez's jersey sales between his time in Chicago and with the Mets placed him among the league's top sellers.

Prior to that, you saw Rizzo, Baez, Bryant - all those guys on that list. But since 2021, ownership has shown no interest in anything other than homegrown talent, with Tucker the first real exception to that rule - and even he came with the caveat of being on an expiring contract.

It's just a bad look for one of the most valuable franchises in all of Major League Baseball, constantly talking about breaking even, finding value around the margins and exceeding expectations when it's clear that what this team needs is long-term star power. Even small-market teams like the division rival Cincinnati Reds make an appearance on this year's rankings, thanks to Elly De La Cruz.

Maybe Pete Crow-Armstrong will emerge as the next big homegrown star on the North Side. But the best organizations not only develop internally but consistently add top-tier talent to the roster, as well. But these numbers prove that Cubs fans have no faith in that happening, even with one of the best players in the league in Tucker calling Chicago home this year.