"In what has become an increasingly common trend, a large portion of the free agent market has yet to find a new home. Okamoto's destination could impact Alex Bregman 's destination, with several teams in on the latter also looking toward the former as a pivot option. If a team in need of starting pitching does not sign Imai, they may look toward the trade market, upping the demand for several available arms."
"The biggest free agent of them all is Kyle Tucker, whose market is quite perplexing. When the Cubs traded for Tucker in December of 2024, all discussions focused on a possible extension. The Astros received a large return for the superstar, which fans immediately thought meant the Cubs would try to extend Tucker to make the deal worth it. It became clear that an extension was unlikely, and a deal was not reached."
"Tucker's tenure in Chicago had a lot of ups and downs, resulting in a mostly unfufilling year. When he was on the field and healthy, Tucker was a key catalyst in the team's success. His lack of production down the stretch, however, led to many to question whether the trade was a bust. Joel Sherman of the New York Post discussed Tucker's mindset as a potential red flag, saying that he may not have the drive to get better and stay on the field."
The offseason will intensify in early January as Kazuma Okamoto and Tatsuya Imai choose teams, potentially jumpstarting roster movement. Okamoto's landing spot could influence Alex Bregman interest, and failure to sign Imai may push teams toward trades to fill starting pitching needs. A significant portion of the free agent market remains unsigned, creating interdependent decision-making among clubs. Kyle Tucker represents the class's top talent but carries an uncertain market after his 2024 trade to the Cubs and the absence of an extension. In Chicago Tucker showed upside when healthy but struggled late, raising long-term evaluation concerns.
Read at Cubsinsider
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