From the moment that the Chicago Cubs completed the offseason trade for star outfielder Kyle Tucker, fans believed he was going to be a game-changer. He's more than lived up to that through the first three months of his Cubs tenure, too, which was validated on Wednesday night when he, along with teammate Pete Crow-Armstrong, was voted in as an All-Star Game starter in the National League. However, the underlying anxiety of that is Tucker being set to hit free agency this offseason and, while the Cubs haven't made progress on a contract, manager Craig Counsell is trying to bridge the gap to keep the All-Star in Chicago.
After Tucker's All-Star announcement and the Cubs' 5-4 win over the Guardians on Wednesday night, a game in which Tucker went 1-for-4 with two runs and a walk to put his OPS at .923 on the year, Counsell was asked about his new star. And it was hard not to read his assessment as a message to Jed Hoyer and the Cubs front office, as well as Tucker.
"There were tremendous expectations," Counsell said, via Jesse Rogers of ESPN. "It's a contract year in a new place and he's exceeded expectations. It's just fun to watch the guy take at-bats."
Craig Counsell on Kyle Tucker’s all-star first half: “There were tremendous expectations. It’s a contract year in a new place and he’s exceeded expectations. It’s just fun to watch the guy take at-bats.”
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) July 3, 2025
That quote might not seem like much, but it could absolutely mean everything for the Cubs and keeping Tucker in the mix for the foreseeable future.
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Craig Counsell is the hero the Cubs need to keep Kyle Tucker
The subtext of Counsell's quote is simple: When the Cubs traded for Tucker, they were hoping to get an All-Star-caliber outfielder to solidify their postseason aspirations. Those are lofty expectations to put on any player. But what Tucker has done in Chicago through the first half of the year has gone beyond that. He looks like a perennial MVP candidate and someone who has helped elevate the Cubs to being a viable World Series threat.
Particularly combined with the power-filled campaign from Seiya Suzuki and the superstar breakout of Crow-Armstrong, Tucker has proven invaluable to the Chicago offense (while also playing plus defense, it should be said). He leads the Cubs in on-base percentage (.393) and OPS (.923) while also leading the team in hits and posting 17 home runs and 18 doubles to this point. Oh, for good measure, he's also stolen 21 bags this season.
But again, Tucker is a free agent after this season and Hoyer recently made it seem as if the Cubs, whether this was a negotiation tactic or not, wouldn't go over a certain number. That would be a disaster in Chicago, getting a star in the building, giving up Cam Smith and other future assets to do so, and then losing him because of an unwillingness to pay up for him.
That's why Counsell's voice in this equation is so important. While Hoyer can praise Tucker, he's more at the negotiating table here and, more importantly, isn't in the clubhouse or the dugout. Counsell can provide the context that Tucker is a key cog for this team who is better than the team even thought he'd be. That's the type of player that is worth the $300 or $400 million that Tucker will demand this offseason on the open market or in an extension before we get to that point.
Counsell is a piece of the equation when it comes to keeping the All-Star in Chicago. He can not only make Tucker feel appreciated and beloved in the clubhouse, but he can also message the importance of the player to the front office. We're seeing him do that time and again, and it's only going to raise the hope that Hoyer gets the message and, ultimately, gets the contract done.