Phillies reportedly "inquired" about Kyle Tucker trade with Astros
Could Astros All-Star outfielder Kyle Tucker be a fit for the Philadelphia Phillies? According to one report, the Phillies are among the teams interested in trading for the Houston right fielder.
According to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Philadelphia is among the teams that "at least inquired and tried to find a package that would work with the Astros."
Houston is "prioritizing major league-ready corner infielders and starting pitching" if it moves Tucker, Sherman reported.
The report comes days after Astros general manager Dana Brown said he would "listen on anybody."
According to The Athletic, Houston has received trade interest on Tucker and is open to him or pitcher Framber Valdez.
Tucker, who turns 28 in January, is one year away from free agency. In October, MLBTradeRumors projected the outfielder would make over $15 million in his final trip through arbitration.
A 2015 first-round pick, Tucker is coming off his third straight All-Star season, though a shin injury forced him to miss a good portion of the campaign. He finished 2024 with a 4.7 WAR and hit .289 with a .993 OPS with 23 home runs and 49 RBIs in 78 games.
In his career, Tucker won a Silver Slugger Award in 2023 and a Gold Glove in 2022. Over the past four seasons, Tucker has 112 homers and a. 888 OPS.
The Phillies are reportedly in the market for an upgrade in the outfield, so Tucker would theoretically fit as a target.
For the second straight postseason, Philadelphia's lineup was exposed for its high chase and pull rates.
Tucker doesn't strike out and gets on base — he walked more than he struck out in 2024 (56 to 54).
Statcast shows Tucker having a 17.5% chase rate last season. Five Phillies' regulars had a chase percentage above 30 in 2024. Kyle Schwarber's 20.9% was the best on the team — he also led the team in strikeouts (197).
On paper, Tucker would help balance the Phillies' swing-balance lineup while adding more power and a strong fielder.
The holdup, however, is what it would cost to acquire Tucker.
Andrew Painter appears to be the only "untouchable" prospect in the Philadelphia system. Still, the club doesn't seem inclined to trade touted shortstop/third base prospect Aidan Miller — especially for a rental. Does it make sense to trade Miller for a player who may walk in free agency next winter?
Could the Phils and Astros find a match in a package headlined by third baseman Alec Bohm or starter Ranger Suarez? Philadelphia has reportedly made both available this offseason, though manager Rob Thomson said the club isn't "shopping" Bohm.
"Because he's a good player, there's a whole lot of interest in him from other teams," Thomson told reporters via The Athletic. "Obviously, you have to do your homework and talk to people and listen."
Do the Phillies have what it takes to acquire Tucker? Perhaps, but a match seems difficult to envision since Tucker will likely cost a big package and is one year away from hitting free agency.
