The Chicago Cubs are one of the best teams in the National League after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in their quick two-game series with them. The Cubs have had a rough stretch of games where they’ve played some of the top teams in the National League and had the Texas Rangers sprinkled in for good measure.
In that 17-game stretch, the Cubs have fared well, going 11-6 against those teams and proving that they deserve to be regarded as one of the top teams in the National League. That stretch of games will come to a close as the Cubs welcome in the Philadelphia Phillies for a nice three-game weekend series that culminates in an appearance on Sunday Night Baseball.
The Cubs have had all this success, with a handful of players on their team having a strong month of April. One player, however, has stood out among the rest, and that’s Kyle Tucker. The Cubs acquired him as the face of their franchise and their star player, and he has been all that and more.
The Chicago Cubs made out well in the Kyle Tucker trade
Tucker has been playing to an MVP level since the season started, and it looks like he’s just getting started. Tucker’s success and being one of the best players in baseball has helped propel him and the Cubs to being one of the teams to watch.
Tucker, in his major league-leading 26 games, has scored 25 runs, also a major league-lead, seven home runs(which he’s in an eight-way tie for), and has walked more (20) than he’s struck out (15). He is also slashing .314/.423/.637 for an OPS of 1.060 and an OPS+ of 197.
If those numbers didn’t get you as a fan to say WOW, then his Baseball Savant page will, as he’s ranked in the 90th percentile or above for most of the main offensive categories. Naming a few, he’s ranked in the 99th percentile when it comes to his batting value (13), and he’s ranked in the 93rd percentile for both his strikeout percentage (12.2%) and walk percentage (16.3%).
This success Tucker is having isn’t a one-off, as he’s done it for his whole career. The success he has had over his career has helped propel him into being one of the main pieces in Team USA’s lineup for the World Baseball Classic.
Tucker is batting third for Team USA in the WBC
The WBC won’t be played until next year, but the hype around it is only beginning as teams play in qualifying rounds to compete in it. That hype culminated when Aaron Judge was named the Captain of Team USA and it’s only growing as Bleacher Report Walk-Off released a potential lineup for Team USA, which has Tucker batting third.
“A look at how Team USA could line up for the 2026 World Baseball Classic”
The best part of this lineup is how Tucker, who is usually batting in the two-hole for the Cubs, is batting third for a team that’s seeing names like Judge, Harper, and Trout batting right behind him. That placement in the lineup should solidify how great of a player Tucker is and why he’ll be paid handsomely this offseason.
The price is only rising for Tucker
This potential positioning in the lineup even though it’s small, only drives up Tucker’s asking price when he becomes a free agent this offseason. Hints of extension talk have been thrown out here and there, but nothing has culminated into a serious discussion.
The Cubs have to get a deal done soon because once Tucker hits free agency, the Cubs will likely lose him, as teams will be lining up to sign him. Hopefully, something gets done before the price goes to a point where ownership is uncomfortable and won’t be willing to pay.