Scott Boras' latest Cody Bellinger comment sounds like a direct shot at Kyle Tucker

If nothing else, Scott Boras certainly knows how to talk up his clients. While the Cubs could have dealings with Boras this offseason, considering their interest in Tatsuya Imai, it would seem that this will be the first offseason in quite some time that Cody Bellinger is not the focus for the North Siders.

After being traded to the New York Yankees last offseason, the 2023 National League Comeback Player of the Year didn't disappoint. Bellinger slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and a 125 wRC+. Bellinger remained a good fielder in the outfield for the Yankees, and also added 13 steals on the base paths.

It was a strong season, and in making a case for his free agency, Boras may have taken a direct shot at Kyle Tucker.

Scott Boras' Kyle Tucker shot may not be all that surprising to Cubs fans.

If we're being honest, Boras isn't entirely wrong. When the Cubs traded for Tucker last offseason, the impression was that they were getting a player capable of not only getting on base but also hitting 30 home runs, stealing bases, and playing Gold Glove-caliber defense.

During the first half of the 2025 season, Tucker certainly proved to have four of those five tools. He was playing at an MVP pace and was so good that it earned him Silver Slugger recognition. Of course, things took an awkward turn for Tucker towards the end of the season, when a pair of injuries ignited a prolonged offensive slump. Still, Tucker finished the 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases in 136 games.

Tucker's defense, on the other hand, was a different story. Even when he was fully healthy, the All-Star never quite looked comfortable playing right field at Wrigley Field. There were awkward routes and clunkiness that is reflected in his -2 outs recorded above average last season. Not to mention, and overall fielding value of -5.1. No matter what metric you use, Tucker was not a good fielder last season.

All this being said, teams across baseball still view Tucker as a superstar talent when healthy. Bellinger's market likely won't be set until after Tucker signs, and no, don't expect the Cubs to be involved in either.