Just days after the stunning Rafael Devers trade sent shockwaves across Major League Baseball, another star could soon reshape the trade landscape—and perhaps even land with one of the teams involved in the Devers drama. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, outfielder Kyle Tucker is now a name to watch as clubs prepare to bid big for the next available superstar.
The 28-year-old slugger is having another All-Star caliber campaign, slashing .284/.395/.513 with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs through 74 games for the Chicago Cubs. But with no extension in place and free agency looming after the 2025 season, Tucker is expected to hit the open market—and a growing list of teams are lining up to make a run at him.
Giants & Red Sox Back in the Spotlight
While Chicago remains in the mix to retain Tucker long-term, Heyman spotlighted two other major-market clubs as serious contenders: the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox.
For the Red Sox, it’s about replacing what they lost.
Boston’s decision to trade Devers—a franchise cornerstone with a 152 OPS+ at the time of the deal—left both a literal and symbolic void. Even if Jarren Duran stays (and rumors suggest he might not), Boston’s outfield depth lacks the thunder that Tucker would bring. He’s a lefty with pop, plate discipline, and postseason pedigree. In other words, precisely the kind of player Red Sox fans expected Devers to be building around, not watching walk out the door.
And now, with a top-20 payroll post-Devers, Boston has money to spend—and a point to prove.
Meanwhile, in San Francisco, Tucker’s name carries a different weight. The Giants just made their biggest move in years by acquiring Devers, and now they could double down with an even bolder follow-up. Adding Tucker wouldn’t just give San Francisco a much-needed boost to its left-handed power core (Devers + Tucker = 28 HRs and counting); it would also send a message to the Dodgers and Padres that the Giants aren’t just in the NL West race—they’re trying to win it.
As Heyman put it on MLB Central, “Never count out the Giants. They look like an aggressive team.”
He’s not wrong. Just ask the Red Sox.
Cubs Still in the Mix—But Will It Come Down to Money?
It’s easy to forget in the trade frenzy that Tucker still plays for the Cubs, and he’s played very well. Chicago is off to a 45-30 start, eyeing its first postseason berth since 2020. Tucker has been a massive part of that, and the front office would love to keep him in Wrigley.
But will they?
The Cubs already have the seventh-highest payroll in baseball. And with Tucker’s next deal projected to land well north of $400 million, they’ll have competition. If it comes down to which team offers more guaranteed years and dollars—and history suggests it often does—the Giants and Red Sox are built to compete financially. The Giants just took on Devers’ $266.5 million deal, while Boston just freed up that exact figure.
Irony meets leverage.
Market Watch: A New Arms Race
What’s becoming clear is that Devers’ trade didn’t just reshuffle two rosters. It may have triggered an arms race among teams looking to either recover (Boston), reinforce (San Francisco), or retain (Chicago).
Kyle Tucker’s name is now officially in play. Whether he’s a future cornerstone in Boston, a finishing piece in San Francisco, or the face of a long-term vision in Chicago, the next big move might be coming sooner than expected.
And if recent history has taught us anything, it’s that MLB’s summer fireworks are starting early this year.
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