Sources: Cubs, Tucker settle at $16.5M for ’25

CHICAGO — The Cubs and new outfielder Kyle Tucker avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a $16.5 million contract for next season, according to sources familiar with the deal.

Tucker, 27, was scheduled to go to a hearing with the team after his camp filed for a salary of $17.5 million for 2025 while the team countered at $15 million. That won’t be necessary, as the sides met near the middle, settling on the $16.5 million figure just a day before the team’s fan convention gets underway in Chicago. Tucker is one of the headliners for the weekend.

Tucker, acquired by the Cubs from the Astros in a trade last month, compiled a 4.7 bWAR in just 78 games played last season for Houston due to injury, making his arbitration case a unique one.

An arbiter could have viewed him as a part-time player, and so the outcome of his contractual situation does have some precedent moving forward for players with a similar number of at-bats. It’s what held up an agreement to this point. But the sides were able to quickly get past that before the potential ugliness of an arbitration hearing took place.

Tucker, who has a career .870 OPS, will be a free agent at the end of next season.