If Astros general manager Dana Brown gets his way, outfielder Kyle Tucker will spend the remainder of his career in Houston. Brown, who is nearing the completion of his first season at the helm for the Astros, said as much on Wednesday during an appearance on the Sean Salisbury Show.
"Let's say this: Kyle Tucker will be a Houston Astro for his career," Brown said, according to Chandler Rome of The Athletic. "I think he really wants to stay here. I think we'll get something done. We are focused on getting to the postseason, winning the division and getting deep into the postseason right now. But at the end of the day, we feel strongly that we'll get something done."
Tucker, 26, entered this season with three years and 79 days of big-league service time. Players must clear the six-year threshold before they can test free agency. That means Tucker will remain under the Astros' control until after the 2025 season, at which point he could test the open market.
Brown's desire to keep Tucker in town should come as no surprise. After all, Tucker entered Thursday batting .296/.377/.517 (144 OPS+) with 21 home runs and an estimated 3.4 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference's calculations. He has not posted a single-season OPS+ lower than 124 since 2019. That's notable given 2020 was his first full season in The Show.
It's unclear how much Tucker would demand in order to sign a lengthy extension with the Astros, but it feels safe to wager it would take nine figures. Consider, for one data point, that Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Bryan Reynolds, himself a prospective free agent after the 2025 season, inked an eight-year pact in the spring worth $106.75 million. Tucker has outplayed Reynolds for their careers:
Reynolds
593
89
124
15.4
Tucker
511
94
132
16.3
Brown, of course, was previously part of an Atlanta Braves front office that excelled in signing its positional player core to long-term agreements. Back in February, he signed right-hander Cristian Javier to a five-year deal worth $64 million.
