"Tucker falls in that interesting bucket where he will rightly demand a contract in excess of $300 million, but the number of teams willing to pay that will limit his options. The Dodgers and Giants make sense, as do the Phillies. Schwarber, on the other hand, will have a bountiful market. Because he'll be 33 on Opening Day, Schwarber is looking at a maximum five-year deal. Even at a high average annual value, the lack of years keeps mid-market teams in the mix."
"The Cubs are likely going to let Tucker walk while the Phillies haven't closed the door on a reunion with Schwarber. Chicago has more budget constrictions than Philadelphia, meaning the Cubs probably don't want to tie up $35-$40 million in one player. Somebody will be willing though, especially if Tucker can slide into a ready-made lineup -- like the Dodgers'. There was some fun chatter about him joining his hometown Rays under new ownership, but a mega deal from Tampa isn't likely."
Free agency opens Thursday at 5 p.m. ET and top hitters Kyle Tucker and Kyle Schwarber lead early market chatter. Tucker is expected to demand a contract exceeding $300 million, which will constrain his potential suitors despite fits with the Dodgers, Giants and Phillies. Schwarber will turn 33 on Opening Day and is seeking a maximum five-year deal, which keeps mid-market teams viable while tilting final bidding toward big-market clubs and potentially a higher average annual value than Tucker. The Cubs likely will not retain Tucker, while the Phillies remain open to a Schwarber reunion.
Read at ESPN.com
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