The New York Yankees are doing everything in their power to help replace the production that Juan Soto left behind. Having smashed 41 homers and collected a 180 wRC+ with 8.1 WAR this past season, they have a tall task ahead of them trying to add another quality bat to the outfield, if not several offensive upgrades.
Over the past 24 hours, the Yankees have been in intense talks with the Houston Astros regarding star outfielder Kyle Tucker, who has one more year left of team control before he becomes a free agent in 2026.
The Yankees Would Be in the Drivers Seat if They Secure Tucker
The 27-year-old former Gold Gove winner played only 78 games this past season due to injury. He hit .289/.408/.585, including 23 homers, 49 RBIs, and a 180 wRC+. Similarly to Soto, Tucker had a better walk than strike out rate this past season and was on pace to have even better numbers than the $765 million man.
According to Jack Curry of the YES Network on Wednesday evening, the Yankees will try “very hard” to get Tucker despite the fact that the Chicago Cubs are also in the mix.
In a perfect world, Tucker would help offset the loss of Soto, and the Yankees would make a big upgrade at first base to take them to the next level. General manager Brian Cashman is trying to get creative with how he positions the Yankees to be World Series contenders in 2025, and he certainly has several avenues to consider, and Tucker is one of the more lucrative options.