MLB Rumors: 3 Kyle Tucker blockbuster trade destinations Astros will eventually consider

The Houston Astros shocked the baseball world by signing Josh Hader to a massive five-year deal. The Hader addition to a bullpen that already had dynamic arms like Ryan Pressly and Bryan Abreu gives the Astros the most dominant late-game bullpen trio in the majors and could be what makes them favorites to not only win the AL West, but potentially the AL Pennant after last season’s crushing loss in the ALCS to the Rangers.

While things certainly look up for the 2024 season, the future is in limbo with the Hader addition. The Astros have several key contributors approaching free agency this offseason or next, and with Kyle Tucker likely fetching the most money of all of them, he could be a trade target to watch.

The Astros won’t be trading Tucker now or anytime this season, but next offseason, when Tucker enters his final year of team control, the Astros will have a decision to make. Will they spend franchise-changing money by trying to bring Tucker back? Or will they accept defeat and look to get something for him rather than lose him for nothing? If they choose the latter, these three destinations could make a whole lot of sense for Tucker.

3) The Astros will eventually consider trading Kyle Tucker to the Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies are a team trying to win right now. That’s no secret. The Astros know that better than most, as these teams matched up in the 2022 World Series with Houston coming out on top. Tucker had a memorable two home run game in that series.

Houston trading Tucker to a Phillies team they just competed with in the World Series probably wouldn’t be their first choice, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind here. The Phillies are a team willing to spend big money on a player of Tucker’s caliber, and they have prospects Houston might want next offseason.

While it’s unlikely that their top prospect, Andrew Painter, will be available in discussions for a rental, even for a player as good as Tucker, but players like Justin Crawford, Mick Abel, and Aidan Miller could all be of interest for Houston. Right now only Abel is a top-100 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, but Crawford and Miller are fast risers and could easily be on that list at this time next season.

By the time the Phillies would have to give big money to Tucker, players like J.T. Realmuto and Kyle Schwarber will be off their books, so they should have the funds and the desire to ink something long-term with one of the best outfielders in the game. Their outfield in general with Bryce Harper moving to first base permanently is a bit of a weakness. Tucker obviously would change that.

2) The Astros will eventually consider trading Kyle Tucker to the Cubs

The Chicago Cubs have one of, if not the best farm system in all of baseball, and have a bevy of prospects and young players that the Astros would want in a hypothetical Kyle Tucker trade.

Their current top prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, likely won’t have prospect status at this time next winter, but he’s just 21 years old and could be Houston’s center fielder of the future if they choose. Other prospects like pitchers Cade Horton, Jordan Wicks, and Ben Brown could be of interest, as well as position players like Matt Shaw, Owen Caissie, and Kevin Alcantara.

The Cubs have a young core looking to win now and in the future, and 27-year-old Tucker could fit in nicely with their timeline.

While the Cubs are currently paying Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki through the 2026 season, they’re both on tradable contracts and would not prevent the Cubs from pursuing a player of Tucker’s caliber. The Cubs don’t have much long-term money invested outside of Dansby Swanson, so they’ll have more than enough money to give Tucker whatever he wants while also having the ability to add more pieces around him to be competitive.

The Cubs being a team Houston has no recent history with could make them a more appealing destination than the Phillies or the next team on this list.

1) The Astros will eventually consider trading Kyle Tucker to the Dodgers

After what happened in 2017 this might not actually happen, but the Astros would be foolish to ignore the Los Angeles Dodgers. If they come to the conclusion that Kyle Tucker must be traded to recoup assets, the Dodgers are an obvious destination.

With a Tucker trade, sending him to the Dodgers, a team they rarely face, is a whole lot more appealing than sending him to a different American League team where Tucker can really hurt the Astros for years to come.

We all know the Dodgers have tons of money to spend, especially after all of their deferred deals, and they also happen to have a strong farm system as well as young players Houston would covet.

If players like Daulton Rushing, James Outman, Gavin Lux, and Emmet Sheehan were on the table, Houston would be doing themselves a disservice to not at the very least contemplate doing a deal with the evil Dodgers.

When thinking about deals involving a player of Tucker’s caliber, no team is going to give up the farm for a rental. These three destinations are ones that can extend Tucker (meaning they’d be willing to give up more for him) and have the assets Houston might want if a Tucker trade were to ever come about. The destinations all being in the National League helps things as well, even if it is the Dodgers.

This article was originally published on fansided.com as MLB Rumors: 3 Kyle Tucker blockbuster trade destinations Astros will eventually consider.