Former Houston outfielder and three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker posed for a photograph at a training facility in an unknown location Tuesday, standing next to a player Houston hopes will emerge as its next star at the hot corner.

The Cubs have traditionally taken a file-and-trial approach to arbitration, even though teams and players are free to reach an agreement before the date of their scheduled hearing. The Cubs did, however, make an exception with catcher Willson Contreras after the lockout in 2022, when arbitration hearings were held in-season.

While adding a top-of-the-market run-producer in Kyle Tucker, the Cubs have also cut their payroll by $60 million. They dropped 12 veterans who produced only 2.3 fWAR.

When the Chicago Cubs made the blockbuster deal to bring in three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros, after the initial excitement from the fan base wore down a bit, thoughts turned to Tucker’s future beyond 2025.

Baseball insider Keith Law discusses how the Cubs not coming to terms on a 2025 salary with recently acquired OF Kyle Tucker will impact his future with the team.