Even amid a month-long struggle, Kyle Tucker is hurtling toward a massive payday.
The body of work for the Chicago Cubs' superstar outfielder speaks much louder than one bad month. The Athletic's Jim Bowden certainly isn't wavering, ranking Tucker as his No. 1 pending free agent in a new big board unveiled Friday.
And when the body of work is as good as Tucker's it means a gigantic payday is coming.
Bowden estimates, based on his sources in the league, that Tucker could get as much as $650 million in total value.
Whether that's from the Cubs or elsewhere remains to be seen.
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Here's how Bowden summed up Tucker's free agency in his new write-up:
"Tucker is expected to be the highest paid free agent in this class. Most analysts believe he will get somewhere between $500 million and $650 million based on the recent contracts of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with the Blue Jays ($500 million) and Juan Soto with the Mets ($765 million). Tucker can impact a game in so many ways with his five tools: hitting, power, defense, arm strength and speed. He has made four straight All-Star teams and is putting together another strong season, batting .265/.377/.457 with 18 homers and 24 steals in 26 attempts. The Cubs would love to retain him, but the open market will determine where he’ll land and he’ll be the biggest prize in free agency."
Tucker is 28, so even a contract lasting longer than a decade should get Tucker in his prime for the majority of it.
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The Cubs have had a special outfield this season, with Tucker alongside Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki. The vibes aren't great in mid-August, with that trio all slumping, but if they can turn it around by September and October, there's still time to make some special memories.
If Chicago goes on a postseason run, it's hard to see them letting Tucker get away, no matter the cost.
But don't be surprised if one of the league's other big markets gets into the race, because Tucker is a player you build a lineup around, and he's going to get paid as such.
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