A year after acquiring outfielder Juan Soto via trade, the New York Yankees saw him leave the Bronx to sign a historic $765 million contract with the New York Mets. Could general manager Brian Cashman replace Soto with Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker?

The Astros have received trade inquiries about Tucker. Although general manager Dana Brown can easily keep the left-hander through his contract year in 2025, the club is reportedly open to the idea of ​​trading him.

If these rumors gain traction, Jon Heyman of the New York Post named the Yankees and Chicago Cubs as potential trade destinations for the 27-year-old. Tucker played in just 78 games in 2024, but posted a .993 OPS with 23 home runs and 49 RBI in 339 plate appearances. He compiled four consecutive seasons of at least 20 home runs for the Astros.

SI.com’s Grant Young said Tucker “could be the perfect replacement for Juan Soto,” but there are two potential hurdles the Yankees will ultimately have to deal with.

One of them is Tucker’s position. His primary position is right field, which he has played exclusively since 2022. With Soto heading to Queens, the Yankees’ current plan is to move Aaron Judge back to right field after he played primarily center in recent years.

Another potential issue is Tucker’s contract situation. Spotrac estimates he will make $16.7 million in 2025, which will be his final year before reaching free agency. Although he isn’t looking for as much money as Soto, his current market value is seven years and $195 million. The Bombers should be clear about what package they are offering Houston in case another one-season scenario ends up happening.

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