Chicago Cubs: PCA contract projection may mean cheaping out on Kyle Tucker

The Chicago Cubs will never be accused of being reckless with their money. There was a time when the owning Ricketts family could be cajoled into spending some money. But that was when their baseball acquisition was pushing for a championship and then looking for a second one.

These days, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts fills public appearances with laments of merely breaking even and seems more focused on luxury tax thresholds than World Series trophies. Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer runs the team according to the constraints put on the operation, gambling on deals with rebounding second-tier talent, possible foreign imports, and full-on rehabilitation projects.

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Hoyer has done well working within the limits put on him. However, the end target always seems to be a team just good enough to compete, but just shy of being an elite club bulging with elite talent (that requires elite money).

Paying PCA

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That team mindset will soon enough come crashing up against reality when it’s time to really pay center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. Some might even say that the Cubs’ buying strategies these next couple years will have a lot to do with what “PCA” may demand when he becomes free agency-eligible in a few years.

The frugal Cubs ownership may shy away from spending as soon as this coming season, anticipating contracts for PCA (and Cade Horton) down the line and likely hammering out a new labor agreement in 2027. That possibly means Chicago will no longer have Kyle Tucker because they will need to pay PCA.

The 23-year-old is not a finished product on the field right now. His drastic second-half fizzle last season was concerning and it speaks to the inconsistencies of youth. His first-half dazzle (25 home runs, 27 stolen bases by July 10), however, speaks to what he could be. We shouldn’t overlook that he is an extremely charismatic and marketable presence who puts butts in seats and moves a lot of merchandise.

Chicago Cubs prepping for monster PCA payout

Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report is predicting that Crow-Armstrong will be due for a contract in excess of $250 million when his time comes.

Per Miller:

“We know darn well he is an elite defender, quite possibly headed for the NL’s Platinum Glove…At the very least, PCA is going to secure the first of what should be many Gold Gloves.

But whether he’s an elite center fielder who consistently bats like Julio Rodríguez or like Myles Straw over the next few years is going to dictate whether he gets paid accordingly.

Considering he hit .295 and slugged .515 in the minors, the inclination is to believe the first 92 games were more legitimate than the latter 65. If so, the current Cubby who will be 28.5 years old if and when he gets to free agency at the end of 2030 will be gearing up for a mammoth payday.”

Still a work in progress, though

“In totality, [Crow-Armstrong] had a great year. Going 30/30 and driving in almost 100 runs,” Hoyer told reporters during his year-end season recap press conference. “He was so good early on, and then he struggled. And this is his first full season, and that’s something I talked to Pete a lot about over the course of the year. This is the first time he has gone through an entire season.

“There could have been some fatigue there that set in, and going forward, I think he’s gonna have to shrink his strike zone and he’s gonna have to focus on those things. But I think he will. He’s still 23 years old, he’s still learning. So I expect him to keep getting better and better…I have no question that he’ll continue to get better.”

“I think he’s the best defensive player in baseball,” Hoyer said.. “Not only did he have a huge role on our team offensively, but when you think about run prevention, he’s right there at the top of it.”

For what it’s worth, Crow-Armstrong seems to legitimately love Chicago and the fans. Even after turning down a $75 million extension offer early last season, he enthusiastically expressed his desire to remain a Cub for the foreseeable future.

But money is money and PCA’s outlook will definitely change by 2030, when he’s 28 and looking to acquire some generational wealth via the open market for his efforts. If he gets significantly more consistent, that $250 million contract could grow to $400 million or more.

Like it or not, Cubs ownership only seems amenable to one big-money contract per team generation– and Crow-Armstrong’s will probably be that contract.

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Source: https://www.chicitysports.com/chicago-cubs-pca-contract-kyle-tucker-hoyer