Shadow is looming over Wrigley Field. And this isn’t just about wins or wild-card standings. It roots back to the basics. A lineup that still feels one bat short — a thunderous, left-handed anchor kind of bat. Enter Kyle Tucker. While the ace is heading toward free agency after 2025, front offices across the league are watching closely. For the Cubs, they finally have a face to contend with, after years of stockpiling prospects.

The only question: Would they actually make a bet on extending Tucker?

23 homers and 49 RBIs with a .289 BA from just 78 games last year make Tucker the crown jewel of the 2026 position player class. The expected price tag? Somewhere between $400 and $500 million over a decade. For a franchise like the Cubs, whose ownership has historically flinched at handing out mega-contracts, that kind of number has always been a non-starter. So, any hope left?

“So, a few more starts and maybe they start listening to some offers. Get it done, Jed. Get it done. If I told you that I believe they’re going to sign Kyle Tucker, I’m more optimistic today than I have been,“ Kaplan said in the Cubs REKAP Podcast.

Yes. Because there’s been a subtle shift in the conversation. In recent days, whispers have emerged that the Cubs might consider keeping Tucker long-term. MLB insider David Kaplan is hopeful that ownership has at least come to terms with the financial reality of extending a superstar — a sign that, just maybe, the organization is finally ready to spend like a big-market team again. So yes, the fans can be hopeful for good.

At 28, Tucker is entering his prime with a track record of elite production. Through his first 114 at-bats in the Cubs, he is slashing .289 with a .976 OPS, 175 OPS+, seven home runs, 25 RBIs, and more walks (21) than strikeouts (18). He’s doing everything the Cubs could’ve hoped for. Right now, Tucker isn’t just producing like a superstar — he is turning into one.

So, Tucker looks every bit deserving of a blank check. And well, the Cubs seem to be ready for that. “As far as long-term stuff, obviously, we would love to keep Kyle long-term, I mean, who wouldn’t want a player like that,” the Cubs president, Jed Hoyer, shared.

Landing Kyle Tucker — and keeping him — would mark a seismic shift in how the Cubs do business. For years, the franchise has operated like a big-market team with small-market habits: Shrewd scouting, controlled spending, and a focus on internal development. Tucker would change that instantly. Sitting atop the NL Central at 18–12 after navigating one of the toughest early-season schedules in baseball, the Cubs have shown they’re ready to compete.

What it needs now is a cornerstone.

Tucker is driving a steamroller named the Cubs

The Cubs have put together a historic month on the basepaths, swiping 44 SBs while being caught just six times, good for an MLB-best 88% success rate. That elite efficiency has been paired with some serious muscle: 38 home runs and counting, making this one of the most offensively explosive months in franchise history.

And they’ve needed every bit of it.

However, despite offensive fireworks, the pitching staff has lumps. The bullpen remains inconsistent, and injuries have ravaged the starting rotation, testing the club’s depth early and often. But through it all, Chicago has held strong. Currently, the Cubs are the only team in the NL Central above .500, and were tied for the second-most wins in all of baseball. Unsurprisingly, they’ve posted one of the biggest jumps in playoff odds across the league through the season’s first four weeks.

Guess what, Tucker is driving that steamroller! He has set the tone — not just with his bat, but with his approach. His presence in the lineup has elevated those around him, and the ripple effect is clear. See Michael Busch with 5 homers, or Pete Crow-Armstrong with 6 homers – it’s evident. Hence, it would be too costly for the Cubs to lose out on Tucker. Something Hoyer would not want to do in his last year with the club.

So, do you think Tucker will ultimately stay with the Cubs? Or is this just another typical trading rumor that’s going to fade away soon? Don’t shy away from sharing your views.