If there’s one thing Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer can vouch for, is the fact that the Cubs were at their best when Kyle Tucker was at his best. “Everyone can use a guy like Kyle Tucker. Everyone gets better by having a player like that.” Only a few would disagree with Hoyer here. While the Cubs haven’t admitted it yet, they’ll need to replace Tucker’s production with someone of similar caliber. Interestingly, they’re not targeting a new or younger player. Instead, the chances are that they’ll revisit a star they had their eye on before.

Their leading target in free agency is likely to be Boston Red Sox’s $110 million star Alex Bregman. The Cubs had chased him earlier during the off-season.

It was before he signed with the Red Sox on a “prove it” contract with a higher yearly salary and an earlier opt-out. Before Bregman went to Boston, the Chicago Cubs offered him a four-year deal worth around $100–120 million.

It was one year longer than what he signed with Boston.“Ultimately, I feel like we made a strong offer.” Hoyer looked all dejected during spring training. “When you’re in free agency, most of the time, a player goes to the highest bid. The Red Sox got a great player. They were aggressive, and kudos to them, they got a great player.” He added.

Now, Bregman officially opted out of his contract with the Red Sox last week. He is set to test the free agency waters ahead of his age-32 season. SportsArc has projected his value at a four-year, $112 million deal. It’s almost the same as what the Cubs offered him last offseason.

Since that figure worked for them that time, it’s only safe to assume it still would. Ultimately, the idea is to get somebody of Tucker’s caliber. No doubt that even Matt Shaw’s defense at third has been Gold Glove-worthy. However, Bregman has been more consistent and is a better as well as a stronger option for an everyday role.

While Bregman is the headline name in free agency, Kyle Tucker is also set to attract plenty of attention from the clubs.

How’s Kyle Tucker’s looming free agency looking?

Kyle Tucker’s upcoming move to free agency could shake up the entire league. As the 28-year-old officially hits the free agency market, his price tag is expected to reach great heights. Kyle Tucker is likely to land a long-term contract worth around $350 million for over 10 years.

It can make him one of the most expensive free agents this winter. He only had a brief stint with the Chicago Cubs that ended with a painful NLDS loss.

It’s Kyle Tucker’s first time testing the free agency waters. The 28-year-old combines a strong track record with a well-rounded skill set that should hold up as he gets older. He also dealt with some minor injuries in the second half of this season.

Yet, he managed to produce a 4-WAR season for the fifth year in a row. In fact, he also posted his third 20/20 season of his career. Given that Kyle Tucker’s price tag is expected to be high, not a lot of teams will be able to compete for him.

The top contenders to contend for the star outfielder are the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs. For the Yankees, especially, Kyle Tucker would be a perfect fit as Cody Bellinger opts out.