What Houston Astros, Kyle Tucker Extension Could Be Worth
The Houston Astros absolutely want to try and get a contract extension done with outfielder Kyle Tucker before the young star hits free agency in two years.
Astros general manager Dana Brown said as much last month when he talked with MLB Radio.
The question is how much might that extension cost?
The Astros have taken a pro-active approach with extensions under Brown. He worked to get pitcher Cristian Javier into a five-year extension last year, one that helped Javier through his arbitration years.
Last month he extended Altuve for five years and $125 million, assuring he’ll remain in Houston for potentially the rest of his career.
Tucker may be a different animal. He isn’t yet 30 years old and in an age of long-term, high-dollar free-agent contracts, Tucker could command a huge price on the open market.
Recently, The Athletic dove into the potential extensions for several players. All had two things in common. One, they were all under 30 years old period second, they all had at least two controllable years left before they could hit free agency.
Tucker was on the list. The Athletic estimated his extension would be valued at $204 million over eight years. That is down a bit from last year's estimate, which was $211 million over nine years.
The story noted that Tucker’s all-around game would likely net him $200 million in the open market. It also compared him to a former Astros outfielder, George Springer, who signed a six-year, $150 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2021.
Tucker finished fifth in AL Most Valuable Player voting last year. He could be a cornerstone in Houston long after Altuve is done, assuming he is after his extension is complete.
Tucker and the Astros agreed to a $12 million deal to avoid arbitration this season. But given how the outfielder’s numbers steadily rise, his arbitration bill for 2025 could approach $20 million.
Tucker won his first Silver Slugger in 2023 after he slashed .284/.369/.517/.886 with 29 home runs, 112 RBI and 30 stolen bases. His 112 RBI was an American League-high.
He is now a two-time All-Star, a Gold Glove winner in 2022 and has finished in the Top 20 in MVP voting the past two seasons.
If the Astros have their way they’ll get Tucker into a long-term deal. But it’s going to cost them.
