When the Chicago Cubs traded for Kyle Tucker last winter, they always knew this was a possibility. Tucker played last season on the final year of his contract. Even when Chicago acquired Tucker, he was expected to be one of the most-coveted players on the free-agent market a year later. It turns out those prognosticators were right.
With Tucker set to leave the Windy City after just one reason, the Cubs front office is already spinning his short stay as a success, even should it end with the future $400 million man playing elsewhere.
What the Cubs are saying about losing Kyle Tucker
The Cubs haven't straight-up admitted that Tucker won't return. To do so would be unwise for future negotiations, whether they be with Tucker himself or other free agents. Yet, even at the GM Meetings, Cubs general manager Carter Hawkins made it clear that regardless of the outcome, Chicago would be active this winter.
“We’re not going to rest on our laurels,” Hawkins said, per The Athletic. “We’ll be active, for sure, and there’s a lot of different ways to make your team better, for both the present and in the future. That one — the Tucker deal — was one of the quicker ways. You can’t do that year over year and remain healthy as an organization.”
Tucker gave the Cubs that boost, posting a 4.6 bWAR season in just 136 games. His .841 OPS was down by his standards, but Tucker still was an NL All-Star and won a Silver Slugger. The Cubs made the postseason in their second year under Craig Counsell, defeating the Padres in the NL Wild Card round before falling to the rival Brewers in the NLDS. That's an improvement, even if it'll be tough to replicate in 2026 without their best player.
Will the Cubs make another trade for a Kyle Tucker-type player? Not to fast
Hawkins was also eager to discuss the Cubs options for replacing Tucker. While free agency remains an option, there will be plenty of competition for top corner outfield talent like Cody Bellinger. Asked whether Chicago could be active in the trade market once again – much like they were when they surprisingly traded for Tucker – Hawkins didn't sound to optimistic.
“If you look at some of the teams that have had a ton of success over the last 10 years,” Hawkins said, “it’s because they’ve built up through the draft. They’ve built up through development. They’ve built up through trades of their premier players to get even more talent. They don’t have to do those deals ever."
This is exactly what the Cubs NL Central rivals, like the Brewers and Reds, want to hear from Hawkins. Sure, Chicago has a strong farm system and is rapidly building a young core featuring Cade Horton, Matt Shaw and others, so for the Cubs's sake we hope Hawkins knows what he's talking about. However, there is something to taking measured risks, but ensuring they are the right ones.
In that sense, you could argue trading for one year of Tucker was a risk not worth taking, as Cam Smith and Isaac Paredes showed promise at times in 2025.
Regrading the Cubs trade for Kyle Tucker: Who really won the deal?
Considering the Cubs got just one year out of Kyle Tucker, the jury is still out on which team won the trade. Yet, there's little denying the Astros received far more upside. Former Cubs top-100 prospect Cam Smith had his struggles in his first season in Houston, but he got off to a red-hot start and showed plenty of promise in a 134 game, 1.9 bWAR season that featured plenty of ups and downs.
That inconsistency is to be expected from a player as young as Smith. The Astros were going to lose Tucker for nothing in 2026. Instead, they flipped him for a plausible replacement who is under contract through 2031.
Houston also received Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski in the trade. Paredes was an All-Star with the Astros at third base, providing them with an Alex Bregman replacement. Paredes had 2.3 bWAR in just 102 games in 2025. If he comes back healthy next season, he should be a force in their lineup.
Wesneski was a throw-in and performed like one, making just six starts with the Astros, good for a 4.50 ERA. Overall, the players Houston received for Tucker accumulated a 4.5 bWAR, while Tucker himself only had 4.6 bWAR. Add in that Smith and Paredes are now key pieces of the Astros core for years to come, and you can understand why Hawkins might be hesitent to make another Tucker-esque trade.