After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. took an in-season contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays, there's no debate who the best player on the free agency market will be in Major League Baseball this winter.
Kyle Tucker is the top player on the market, and fortunately for the former Houston Astros slugger, many teams will be in a bidding war for him.
While some believe that Tucker could be looking at a $500-plus million deal, which would only be fair considering some of the other contracts handed out in Major League Baseball recently, Zachary D. Rymer doesn't expect that to be true. Rymer had him at about $100 million less now.
"There isn't any question Kyle Tucker is the No. 1 player on the upcoming free-agent market. He's an All-Star, Gold Glover and World Series champion who has averaged 6.4 rWAR per 162 games since 2021...
"There is some belief Tucker will end up scoring a contract worth upwards of $600 million, but the more practical bar seems to be set at the $400 million threshold. That would be historic in its own right, as there has never been a contract in the $400-699 million range signed by a free agent," he wrote.
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Tucker has struggled since the All-Star Game, and so have the Chicago Cubs. However, the reality is that if the Cubs want to be a competent team over the next decade, they need players like Tucker.
Making the trade they did with the Astros, highlighted by youngster Cam Smith, who, despite struggling at times, is still an outstanding player, would have been a questionable decision.