Red Sox Have Real Shot At Cubs Star Kyle Tucker, Says Insiders

The Boston Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders right now. But, could they actually add another one into the fold this offseason?

There's no reason to add another outfielder unless they move the needle in a significant way -- and if the Red Sox trade one of the pieces already on the roster. This was the case last offseason as well, but the Red Sox heavily pursued Juan Soto. Boston obviously didn't sign Soto, but he is the type of player that every team should consider, and the Red Sox did.

This year's top free agent is another outfielder: Kyle Tucker. The Athletic's Patrick Mooney, Will Sammon, Katie Woo, and Ken Rosenthal weighed in on Tucker's market and put teams into tiers. The Los Angeles Dodgers were Tier 1, the New York Yankees were in Tier 2, but the Red Sox weren't far behind in Tier 3 with the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, and Toronto Blue Jays.

"Tier 3: The usual suspects," Mooney, Sammon, Woo, and Rosenthal said. "Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays. You’ve probably seen this movie before. The Red Sox aren’t lacking in left-handed-hitting outfielders, but they’re always rumored to be in on the prominent free agents. Ditto for the Mets. Soto’s record-setting contract coupled with Brandon Nimmo’s long deal probably takes the Mets out of the running, though complications never stop rival executives from speculating about Steve Cohen, the New York owner with a long history of getting what he wants."

Could the Red Sox actually pursue Kyle Tucker?

Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning in game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

There is no reason for the Red Sox to add an outfielder, unless it's a difference-maker like Tucker. He is just 28 years old and hasn't had a season under 4.6 wins above replacement since the 2020 COVID-shortened campaign. In 2025, he had 22 homers, 73 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases in 136 games played.

Tucker dealt with injuries that clearly impacted him offensively. In comparison, Tucker had 23 homers and 49 RBIs in 78 games in 2024. In 2023, he had 29 homers and led the American League with 112 RBIs in 157 games played.

It's interesting that these four insiders were willing to put Boston just behind the Dodgers and Yankees for Tucker. Last year, there was plenty of speculation about Boston and Soto -- like with Tucker right now. The Soto chatter seemed unrealistic, but Boston made a real run at him. Will the same happen with Tucker this offseason?

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