When Kyle Tucker jogged out to right field on Opening Day, the Wrigley crowd roared like it hadn’t in years. This was the guy — the power bat with October scars and swagger, the centerpiece of a Cubs renaissance. Paired with a healthy, dominant Justin Steele atop the rotation, the vision was clear: this team wasn’t building for the future. They were chasing it now. Alas! It was a short-lived fantasy—just two weeks in, the dream’s wobbling.
On Wednesday, the Cubs placed Steele — the $6.55 million lefty who was supposed to anchor the staff — on the 15-day injured list with elbow tendinitis. At first glance, it sounded like a cautious move. But that optimism didn’t last long. On ESPN 1000, reporter Jesse Rogers gave a chilling update: “After the Justin Steele imaging, the news today might be not good. He wasn’t reporting anything for sure, but doesn’t have a feeling that it’ll be a minimum stay on the IL.” That changes everything — especially for Kyle Tucker.
The former Astros star, acquired in a bold offseason move, signed only through 2025. Extension talks have swirled around a jaw-dropping $500+ million figure, but no pen has touched paper. And now, with Steele’s health in question and the Cubs’ short-term competitiveness suddenly cloudy, Tucker has every reason to pump the brakes.
Jesse Rogers on ESPN 1000 today says his sense is that, after the Justin Steele imaging, the news today might be not good. He wasn’t reporting anything for sure, but doesn’t have a feeling that it’ll be a minimum stay on the IL.
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) April 11, 2025
He came here to win. And make no mistake: Kyle Tucker has options. If the Cubs can’t prove they’re serious players — especially in a brutal NL with teams like Atlanta and Los Angeles breathing fire — Tucker can walk. A player of his caliber doesn’t beg for attention on the open market. He gets it.
Here’s the real issue: without Steele, this rotation thins out fast. Jameson Taillon and Jordan Wicks aren’t scaring anyone in a postseason series. And if the Cubs stumble through the next few weeks, the narrative changes from “contender” to “uncertain” fast. That’s not the pitch you make to a guy about to commit half a billion dollars’ worth of trust.
So what now? Jed Hoyer and the Cubs’ brass have to act quickly to not just to patch the rotation but to steady the vision.
Kyle Tucker: contender or pretender?
Till now, the team’s foundation has been Steele. And with him out temporarily, it’s all looking shaky. For all intents and purposes, this is the gut check. With Justin Steele sidelined and no timeline locked in, the Cubs are staring down a critical stretch that could define not just their season but their entire trajectory. Can they hold the line with a patchwork rotation? Can Jameson Taillon step up? Will Jordan Wicks or Javier Assad turn into reliable stopgaps? There’s no time for excuses. Because the division won’t wait, and neither will Kyle Tucker.
Let’s be honest — this isn’t just about winning games. It’s about proving to a potential $500 million man that Chicago is still serious. If the Cubs fall flat over the next few weeks, Tucker has every reason to question the direction. But if the team digs in, stays afloat, and finds ways to compete without their ace?
That sends a message — not just to Kyle Tucker but to the rest of the league.
The post Kyle Tucker’s Anticipated $500+ Million Cubs Extension Under Jeopardy After Terrible News Involving $6.55M Superstar appeared first on EssentiallySports.
