With the breaking news that Kyle Tucker has reportedly signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the immediate response from Chicago is what the Cubs should do next. Losing Tucker isn’t the worst thing, but it’s where he landed that will cause the controversy.
Tucker was arguably the best free-agent hitter on the market this winter. It was thought that a deal with the New York Mets was close today, but it never crossed the finish line. Nonetheless, his signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers this evening confirms he will not be back on the North Side of Chicago in 2026.
In reality, there were never serious rumors confirming significant interest from the Cubs in bringing Tucker back. The price tag explains why.
At $60 million AAV — the largest AAV in baseball history — one’s immediate reaction should scream gross overpay. This is the Dodgers, however, and their level of revenue is unmatched. For the Cubs, we must dissect what it means. Even after landing Alex Bregman, many will say it’s still not enough to compete with Los Angeles.
What’s Next for the Cubs After Kyle Tucker’s Departure?
Losing Tucker, based on what he did in 2025 for the Cubs, wasn’t the worst thing. The Cubs had three hitters hit over 30+ home runs, and none of them were named Tucker. Not that he doesn’t bring a superstar pedigree, but the Cubs can replace his 2025 production with Bregman. Given that he’s never hit north of 30 home runs and finished inside the top five of MVP voting just once, it’s hard to imagine Tucker paying off a $60 million annual investment. Still, questions arise about whether the 2026 Cubs have enough to take down a team like L.A.
Should the Cubs back up the Brinks truck and open the vault for one last blockbuster move? Cody Bellinger is still out there, still not commanding $200 million, and the Cubs still have boatloads of money coming off the books next year. They also still need a right fielder — ideally one who can fill in at multiple positions. Realistically, that’s shooting for the stars. Given the newfound aggressive Cubs nature, however, you can’t rule it out 100% until he signs elsewhere.
Playing some devil’s advocate here: Tucker’s deal may help Bellinger’s market. Teams may get desperate now and wind up going to uncomfortable levels for Bellinger. That is not a bidding war the Cubs will get into. He is just the only move left that still “makes sense” if the Cubs secretly had another blockbuster up their sleeve.
Especially now, with Tucker heading to L.A., it’s easy as a fan to want the Cubs to pursue somebody like Bellinger. I usually talk myself off of these impulsive ledges, but the more you look at the future payroll for the Cubs, the more it starts to make sense. The Cubs’ only outfielders signed past 2026 are Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kevin Alcantara. They do, in theory, need to check that box. Adding Bellinger with opt-outs after year two may be a way to secure more wins now and buy yourself time to figure out what to do in the future.
The Last Word
I genuinely see the Cubs as a top-three team in the National League, at least. Pushing for another major signing would send them well over the luxury tax. This is still a special group capable of going all the way, perhaps even without another addition. We’ll have to wait and see what comes next. The Cubs noted they had checked “some” big boxes this winter. So, never say never.
Jed Hoyer on the Cubs: “By no means are we done with the offseason but we did check some of the big boxes.”
He mentioned adding depth— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 15, 2026
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