Cubs could lose $600 million superstar to Phillies, MLB insider warns

The Philadelphia Phillies have become a staple in the National League playoffs, and that's where the Chicago Cubs are trying to get in their trajectory as a franchise.

Chicago hasn't made the playoffs since 2020, and they made a bold move to bring themselves closer before this season. In December, they acquired three-time All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker in a four-player trade with the Houston Astros.

The Cubs knew they were taking a risk in trading for Tucker, who will be a free agent this winter. But their hope was that they could either convince him to sign an extension or return in the winter, all while transforming their offense into a true contender.

The latter objective has worked out marvelously so far. But could the Phillies get in the way of the former?

On Wednesday, insider Jim Bowden of The Athletic named the Phillies, who have a near-$300 million payroll and a few high-priced veterans coming off the books, as a threat to poach Tucker from the Cubs in free agency.

"Tucker has led the Cubs to a first-place start in the NL Central and is considered a top-five MVP candidate in the league. He is again on pace to hit close to 30 homers and steal close to 30 bases," Bowden wrote.

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"Following Juan Soto’s record-setting $765 million deal in free agency and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension, Tucker is expected to land a nine-figure contract that starts with a 6. Several big-market teams, including the Cubs, Phillies, Yankees and Dodgers, should be in play for him."

Tucker is just 28, and he's got the athleticism to stick in right field for quite a while, which should be a reassuring factor for teams considering paying him top dollar. And the Cubs have really never paid someone top dollar.

The Phillies have appeared much more comfortable than the Cubs have in pushing the envelope with their spending, as exhibited by the roughly $90 million gap in their two payrolls this year. We'll see if that changes during Tucker's free agency.

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