Astros Front Office Promises to Keep Kyle Tucker

Kyle Tucker has been one of the most important players on the Houston Astros for years.

The players know it, the front office knows and the fans know it.

So why are there still questions surrounding when the superstar right fielder will get a new deal?

According to general manager Dana Brown, there shouldn't be.

During his weekly interview with SportsTalk 790 in Houston, Brown made the bold claim, "Let’s say this: Kyle Tucker will be a Houston Astro for his career."

He's currently playing this season on a one-year $5 million deal and has two years of arbitration coming up at the conclusion of 2023.

Since becoming a full time player in 2021, the 26-year-old is having the best season of his career. He's hitting .296/.378/.514 with 21 home runs and 84 RBI through 114 games.

That's the highest average and on-base percentage in a season and is on pace to smash both his previous home run and RBI totals.

Considering what he's done for the Astros and that he's about to enter his prime, he feels like the ideal player to offer a big contract.

For context, Chandler Rome of The Athletic writes, "At the time Devers signed his 11-year, $331 million contract extension last winter, he was Tucker’s age, had made two All-Star teams and boasted a career .854 OPS. Tucker has made two All-Star teams, has an .849 career OPS and, according to Baseball-Reference, is worth a career 16.3 wins above replacement. Devers — who debuted a year before Tucker — is worth 17.5."

It seems like the superstar will bring in a big contract eventually.

However, it should be noted that former shortstop Carlos Correa said he wanted to be "an Astro for life" and owner Jim Crane did not extend that offer.

Crane has never offered anything longer than six years or more than $200 million.

During spring training Brown said, "I just don’t like big deals. If they’re open for something a little more than five, maybe I would be open to doing that. I’m sure Jim would be, too. I think Jim is very open. But doing 10-year deals, I don’t know if we’ll ever get to that point."

Seems like the front office and ownership has a lot to figure out if they want to make good on that promise.