Chicago Cubs president: There are “limits” when it comes extending Kyle Tucker

The Chicago Cubs are set to make their moves for a second-half surge and a deep playoff run, with ultimate World Series aspirations.

It’s too early to say that they’re in the thick of a pennant race, but that time is coming soon and the Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer is looking to fortify the team with the field assets needed to succeed in the postseason.

That means trades will be made, prospects will be dealt, and holes will be plugged.

Chicago holding back on their financial reserves during the offseason may not have been a popular move with fans, but that conservative financial mindset has led to a reserve of spending money available to them before the July 31 trade deadline.

Chicago Cubs willing to spend at the trade deadline?

And, by all accounts, they are willing to spend that money to acquire some high-end talent.

“This place is full almost every night,” Hoyer told reporters Tuesday at Wrigley Field. “We’ll have the resources to make the moves that we need to make at the deadline.”

This obviously makes for a very entertaining next few weeks as rumors circulate regarding who the Cubs may acquire and which prospects they may have to give up while doing so.

It also makes for some real uncertainty when it comes to the future of right fielder Kyle Tucker in Chicago.

And what about Kyle Tucker?

The 28-year-old Tucker, who came over in a 3-for-1 trade from the Houston Astros in December, has become a linchpin for a stellar Cubs offense. He’s also eligible for free agency at the end of this season and is expected to demand upwards of $500 million over the course of a 10-year deal. The heavy-spending New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, and Philadelphia Phillies have already been rumored to be interested in the multi-tool star.

And that leads to the question– If the Cubs spend freely before the deadline and don’t deal exclusively in 3-month rental acquisitions, will they be willing to spend the massive money needed to sign Tucker up?

A recent comment from Hoyer may lead some to speculate that this is also a concern on the mind of the Cubs exec.

“Kyle Tucker is a player you want to have for a long time,” Hoyer told The Athletic. “He’s been one of the best players in baseball this year. He does so many things well, and he’s really had a significant impact on this offense. Certainly, you want to keep a player like that. You go into the negotiation wanting to keep him. But, obviously, you realize in some way that you must have your limits.”

Those “limits” are presumably monetary limits.

One eye on the present, one eye on the future

And, yeah, of course every team has spending limits. But for a team with, per Hoyer, “unbelievably clean” books in the future, with not much owed beyond 2026, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to be entering into major negotiations with one eye on your “limits.”

Hoyer’s contract is also up at the end of this year, but his recent budget talk leads one to believe that maybe he’s pretty secure that he’ll be staying in Chicago beyond 2025.

“We’ve kept our books unbelievably clean in the future,” Hoyer also told The Athletic. “That’s been something that, organizationally, we’ve been really disciplined about. When you look at our books, we’re in a really enviable position that way. Now that said, we also have a significant amount of talent that is up after 2026, so there’s a double-edged sword to really clean books. But that is something that has been a significant priority for us, and that gives us real flexibility moving forward.”

So, with the focus on the present along with a focus on keeping the books “clean,” does that mean the Cubs have already resigned themselves to the fact that they may have to let Tucker walk?

As always, time will tell.

Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-kyle-tucker-extension-hoyer?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=chicago-cubs-kyle-tucker-extension-hoyer