Inside The Cubs

Cubs Could Replace Kyle Tucker With Exiled Phillies Slugger

This Philadelphia Phillies outcast could be a way for the Chicago Cubs to replace Kyle Tucker's production.
Grant Young|
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If Kyle Tucker ends up signing with another team in free agency (as just about everybody expects him to) this offseason, the Chicago Cubs' front office will need a means of replacing the production he provided in 2025.

This is going to be hard to do, if only because Tucker is one of baseball's most talented left-handed hitters. And since the Cubs likely won't be willing to break the bank on a top free agent hitter like Tucker, Pete Alonso, or Kyle Schwarber, they might have to take a risk on a player they can get at a bargain and hope they'll exceed their market value.

On October 17, The Athletic's Matt Gelb reported that the Philadelphia Phillies are planning to either trade or release outfielder Nick Castellanos this offseason. This comes in the wake of Castellanos' brutal 2025 campaign, where he hit .250 with a .694 OPS and 17 home runs in 147 games, and lost his full-time starting job in the outfield.

Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Nick Castellanos (8) reacts after striking out on October 9, 2025
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Despite Castellanos being a two-time All-Star and being one of baseball's better offensive outfielders for most of the past decade, Philadelphia coming up short in the postseason once again has clearly convinced the front office that changes are necessary.

And this could benefit the Chicago Cubs.

Why Chicago Cubs Make Sense for Nick Castellanos

If (and when) Tucker leaves, the Cubs could either sign Castellanos if he has already been released at that point or try and acquire him via trade. Given his mediocre 2025 season, Castellanos' trade value is at an all-time low, which means that the Cubs wouldn't need to give up too much in return for him.

And it is known that the 33-year-old Castellanos has been dealing with a knee injury for much of the season, which he intends to get fixed this offseason. One would imagine that this might have impacted his performance this year, and could suggest he's primed for a bounce-back 2026 campaign if his knee is fully healed.

Castellanos has crushed Cubs pitching in his career, as he has a staggering .330 average with a .953 OPS, 12 home runs, and 35 RBIs in 57 games against Chicago, and also has a .340 average with a 1.024 OPS and six home runs in 25 games playing at Wrigley Field.

It seems that Nick has a knack for performing in Chicago. The Cubs could be wise to capitalize on this during the upcoming MLB offseason.

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Grant Young
GRANT YOUNG

Grant Young is a Staff Writer for On SI’s Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Boxing, Indiana Fever, and Women’s Fastbreak sites. Before joining SI in 2024, he wrote for various boxing and sports verticals such as FanBuzz and NY Fights. Young has a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in creative writing with an emphasis on sports nonfiction from the University of San Francisco, where he played five seasons of Division 1 baseball. He fought Muay Thai professionally in Thailand in 2023, loves a good essay, and is driven crazy trying to handle a pitpull puppy named Aura. Young lives in San Diego and was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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