Cubs' Kyle Tucker Could Leave in Offseason for Hometown Tampa Bay Rays originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Chicago Cubs made a major splash in the offseason, trading multiple prospects and Isaac Paredes for superstar Kyle Tucker. Cam Smith has developed into a solid player, further indicating how much of an investment the Tucker trade is for Chicago.

However, he's set to be a free agent at the end of the year, and the Cubs will have to re-sign him to justify their large trade package to the Houston Astros.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic proposed a "Wild and Crazy" idea that would be disastrous for the Cubs. He mentioned the possibility of Tucker, in the offseason, going elsewhere in free agency, signing with his hometown team, the Tampa Bay Rays.

"The thought might not be as preposterous as it sounds," Rosenthal writes, "Depending on how much Zalupski is willing to spend on players after plunking $1.7 billion or so for the team."

Of the potential free agents, none are bigger than Tucker. He's likely to fetch a huge price tag, and if the new billionaire owner of the Rays is willing to go big, Tucker is a good fit, since Tampa is where he grew up.

"Tucker, 28, is a native of Tampa." Rosenthal wrote. "… And even under owner Stuart Sternberg, they've occasionally tried to go big in free agency, most notably during the 2021-2022 offseason when they reportedly offered Freddie Freeman six- and seven-year deals in the $140 million to $150 million range."

While the deals Rosenthal brings up aren't in the range Tucker is expected to land, north of $400 million, they do open the door to the Rays being willing to invest in their team.

If the new owner wants to make a good first impression on the fanbase, landing the top free agent, superstar Kyle Tucker, would be a great way to start.

This potential idea from Rosenthal, while appealing from the Rays' perspective, would be a disaster for the Cubs. Losing Tucker in free agency is a massive issue that Chicago can't afford to have happen.

After the massive amount of assets put into Tucker, to get just one season out of him would be a massive letdown. He describes this potential move as a "Wild and Crazy" idea, and for the Cubs, it'd certainly drive the fanbase crazy if such a move happened.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.

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