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What Cubs' Kyle Tucker trade with Astros means for Alex Bregman, Detroit Tigers pursuit
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- What Cubs' Kyle Tucker trade with Astros means for Alex Bregman, Detroit Tigers pursuit
The Houston Astros traded All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker to the Chicago Cubs on Friday in a deal that could create a domino effect and reverberate throughout MLB. It could also benefit the Detroit Tigers .
The trade leads to the probable departures of All-Star third baseman Alex Bregman from the Astros and former MVP Cody Bellinger from the Cubs.
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The Astros are receiving third baseman Isaac Paredes , pitcher Hayden Wesneski and third-base prospect Cam Smith for Tucker. Paredes, who also can play first base, is a former Tiger , traded in 2022 to Tampa Bay for Austin Meadows in a move that quickly backfired.
Just like that, this trade signals the Astros have given up on their pursuit of re-signing Bregman. They offered him a six-year, $156 million contract but he's seeking in excess of $200 million.
Astros general manager Dana Brown denied the trade changes anything in the pursuit of retaining their third baseman. "Pretty much, Alex Bregman's status is still the way it is," Brown told reporters Friday. "Nothing has changed since the last time I talked to you guys."
The Tigers and Bregman, 30, have mutual interest and have been engaged in conversations, as reported by the Detroit Free Press, but the Tigers don't want to pay $200 million. They desperately need a right-handed bat and have an opening at third base.
Detroit Tigers shortstop Trey Sweeney throws to first base as Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman advances to second during the second inning of Game 2 of the wild-card series in the MLB playoffs at Minute Maid Park, Oct. 2, 2024.
"I think he's open to any team that he thinks is someone that can be competitive and kind of dawn a new age," Bregman's agent Scott Boras said this week at MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas, "similar to the one he had in Houston. Obviously, he knows some people in Detroit very, very well, and has very familiar and trusting relationships there. I think for those reasons, he's open to a lot of things."
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The New York Yankees now are expected to put on a full-court press to sign Bregman and move Jazz Chisholm to second base, in what would be their latest big move since losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets in free agency.
But the Tigers have an advantage because Bregman has valuable relationships with two people in the organization: manager A.J. Hinch from their time together with the Astros and bullpen catcher Chris Chinea from their college careers together at LSU.
READ MORE: Alex Bregman 'open to a lot of things' in free agency, including the Tigers
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The Yankees also could turn around and trade for Bellinger, who has being openly shopped, to play first base. The Yankees and Cubs have been in talks, but the Yankees want the Cubs to pay at least $10 million of the $32.5 million that Bellinger is owed for the 2025 season and his $25 million salary or $5 million buyout in 2026.
The Yankees had engaged in serious trade talks with the Astros for Tucker, but balked at their demand for Rookie of the Year Luis Gil and second-base prospect George Lombard Jr.
Tucker, 27, is expected to seek a contract north of $500 million next winter.
The Astros, who have won two World Series, four pennants and reached the postseason eight consecutive years, believe the trade will enable them to still continue their dominance in the AL West. They now have a third baseman in Paredes who's a dead pull hitter and can take advantage of the short left field porch in Houston, while acquiring a top prospect in Smith, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2024 draft. They also got pitching depth in Wesneski, 27, who has a career 3.93 ERA in 68 games.
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Free Press sports writer Evan Petzold contributed to this report.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alex Bregman free agency: What Kyle Tucker trade means for Tigers
