The Chicago Cubs missed the postseason for the fourth straight year, finishing 83-79 and finishing second in the National League Central.
After winning the World Series in 2016, the Cubs captured the National League Championship in 2017, but then they failed to advance past the wild-card round.
The Cubs acquired several notable players this offseason to help improve their roster for the 2025 season.
One of those players is superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, who was acquired in a trade from the Houston Astros.
With Tucker joining the pitching corps, MLB analyst Tom Verducci made a bold prediction about how good the Cubs’ outfield will be in 2025.
“That outfield is one of the best in major league baseball,” Verducci said via MLB Network “X.”
“That outfield is one of the best in major league baseball.”
Tom Verducci breaks down where @Cubs: The trio of Ian Happ, Pete Crowe-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker line up as a defensive unit. pic.twitter.com/5a1MCtr3q4
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 20, 2025
Tucker is a 28-year-old outfielder who made the majors in 2018 with the Astros and played all seven seasons of his MLB career with the team before coming to the Cubs.
In 2024, Tucker only played in 78 games due to injuries, but he batted .289 with 23 home runs, 49 RBIs and a .993 OPS.
While Tucker gives the Cubs a boost offensively, Verducci touts his defensive ability and how good the Cubs’ outfield as a whole will be defensively in 2025.
Both Tucker, in right field, and Ian Happ, in left field, have won Gold Gloves in their careers, and center fielder Pete Crowe-Armstrong is likely to be a Gold Glove winner soon.
The Cubs have below-average hitting as a pitching staff, so having a solid defensive outfield will greatly benefit the team next season.
NEXT: Analyst makes bold predictions about next season’s Cubs
