Kyle Tucker has struggled tremendously in the recent weeks, but that doesn’t change the fact that he will be the hottest name in free agency after this season. He won’t top Juan Soto’s record-breaking deal from last offseason, but he’ll land in the same ballpark. For four years, the Cubs star has been worth at least 4.0 WAR every season, combining power, speed, and defense in a way that makes him one of the most complete players in the league.

Recently, Mark Feinsand from MLB placed Tucker as a potential fit for two NL rivals—the Phillies and the Giants. Both of them are expected to compete with the Cubs for the four-time All-Star.

At the same time, the NL-leading Los Angeles Dodgers have also been linked to the 28-year-old. With all three in the chase for Tucker, we can be in for an aggressive bidding war.

Jim Bowden says Tucker is “expected to land a nine-figure contract that starts with a 6.” It’s a price tag that fits the Dodgers’ appetite when it comes to star power. However, the Giants and Phillies won’t hold back either, with offensive production from the outfield being an issue for both of those teams.

Kyle Tucker has been a fascinating story this season. He entered the season hitting 17 home runs with 52 RBIs, stealing 20 bases, and posting a .931 OPS through June. It looked like every bit of the beginning of an MVP-caliber campaign. However, he fractured his hand in June, which coincided with a slump. He still played through it, but his numbers dragged down drastically.

Since the first week of July, Tucker has managed just a .560 OPS, enduring stretches as brutal as two hits in 25 at-bats until this week.  Yet, his reputation as one of the league’s best all-around players hasn’t faded. The next few weeks could be the deciding factor in how high the bidding climbs. However, that could take a sharp turn if his slump continues.

Amid the raging speculation about his future, Kyle Tucker made a quiet comeback to the field.

Kyle Tucker’s back in the lineup after sitting out for three games

Last week, after Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, Cubs manager Craig Counsell confirmed that the Cubs star had played through a right-hand fracture. Apparently, he had awkwardly slid his hand back during the Cubs-Reds game on June 1. Counsell also revealed that Tucker has been cleared to take the field, but the injury did play a major role in his recent slump. And that was the reason behind Counsell benching him for three straight games.

Sadly, there was no uptick in his performance on Thursday night as well. Seemingly, the issue runs deeper than just the injury. The star outfielder went hitless, finishing 0-for-4 with a walk in the Cubs’ 4-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. This loss also snapped the Cubs’ three-game winning streak. That’s not it; it also widened the gap to seven games behind the division-leading Brewers.

Tucker has been struggling mightily at the plate. The 28-year-old is hitting only .138 (8-for-58) in August. He has only two extra-base hits, both doubles, across 25 games. That’s a massive decline from his standard. Through his first 85 games, his batting average has been .290 with 17 home runs and 52 RBIs.

Tucker’s time off was meant for him to give himself a rest physically and mentally, having been booed relentlessly by the fans on his previous outing. However, the time off didn’t seem to work.