Cubs Urged to Bring Back Slugger to Replace Kyle Tucker in Offseason

The Chicago Cubs will be a team to watch this offseason as Kyle Tucker will be the top free agent available.

The Cubs made a bold move to acquire Tucker on the final year of control as he’s set to be a free agent this winter. The slugging outfielder will be in line for a massive contract. Barstool’s Dan Katz, aka Big Cat, has an interesting take on how Chicago should approach the offseason.

If the Cubs don’t re-sign Tucker, Katz believes Chicago should bring back Kyle Schwarber to replace Tucker’s bat in the lineup.

“There is one more out that they have. If they don’t sign Kyle Tucker and instead bring up (Owen) Caissie and then put Seyia (Suzuki) back in the outfield and sign Kyle Schwarber and let him finish as a Cub and hit 500 home runs as a Cub,” Katz said on Barstool Chicago’s The Stretch. “He’s a perfect DH, he can play another six years DHing, that would be the one thing where I’d be like, I’m okay with this.”

Schwarber was a first-round pick of the Cubs in 2014, and he was a member of the team from 2015 until 2020, helping Chicago win the World Series in 2020.

The 32-year-old is also a pending free agent, and a reunion with the Cubs would make sense. He’d replace Tucker in the lineup and would be a much cheaper option.

Tucker is hitting .274 with 18 home runs and 61 RBIs this season with the Cubs. Schwarber, meanwhile, is hitting .258 with 40 home runs and 94 RBIs with the Philadelphia Phillies this season.

Big Cat Proposes Short-Term Deal for Cubs to Sign Tucker

Although Big Cat would like to see the Cubs sign Schwarber if Tucker leaves, he does prefer Chicago extending Tucker.

Tucker has been an important part of Chicago’s roster, and Big Cat is hopeful the Cubs will get a deal done. But, instead of a long-term deal, he thinks Chicago could get creative with Tucker’s contract.

“I still don’t know why they don’t do (this). If I were Tom Ricketts, I would just sign Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $220 million contract,” Big Cat added. “Kyle Tucker would sign that in a heartbeat. Four years, $250 (million). You are going to get another shot at it in four years. And you are going to make more money than every other person. If you are worried about signing a guy for 10 years, don’t sign him for 10 and give him so much money for four years he can’t say no to it.”

It’s an interesting take, but whether or not the Cubs would want to do that deal is uncertain. But, as Big Cat says, Tucker would likely sign the deal, and it would keep Chicago as a World Series contender for years to come.

Cubs’ Tucker Not Focusing on Free Agency

If Tucker does reach free agency, he will be the biggest fish available.

However, ahead of the offseason, Tucker says he isn’t focusing on his looming free agency. Instead, he’s just focused on playing and helping the Cubs win baseball games.

“I don’t necessarily worry about it too much,” Tucker said. “If something happens, something happens. The only thing I can really control is just going out there and doing the best I can. Putting up numbers and trying to help us win games.

“In my eyes, as long as I just try and do that, and do my part in helping us win, I feel like everything else just happens,” Tucker added. “I can’t really control something that’s not in my control. Or try to manipulate something or force something.”

The Cubs are currently 65-47 and three games back of the Milwaukee Brewers for the top spot in the NL Central.