Kyle Tucker’s latest comments on possible extension foreshadow a long wait for news

This is the time of year when a lot of players, who are in the middle of their arbitration windows, work out long-term extensions with their existing team. All-Stars like Giancarlo Stanton, Austin Riley, and Matt Olson all signed massive contracts before hitting free agency.

And while fans in Houston shouldn't doubt what general manager Dana Brown has said about making Kyle Tucker an Astro for life, you probably don't need to keep refreshing your social media feed waiting for the impending news to drop.

Tucker was recently interviewed by Ben Verlander of FOX Sports, and when asked about a potential contract extension, the Houston Astros outfielder (kind of) danced around the question.

Astros OF Kyle Tucker’s latest comments on possible extension foreshadow a long wait for news

The response, "We'll see what happens," was uttered by Tucker on multiple occasions. Was this the Houston outfielder carefully crafting his comments so as not to divulge any inside information, or is he letting the Astros fanbase know that nothing is imminent?

On the plus side, Tucker had nothing but good things to say about the Astros organization and voiced his desire to remain in Houston for his entire career. While players know that baseball is a business, and these massive paydays are certainly part of the equation, it's fair to assume that being part of a winning culture and a championship organization is something that's taken into account as well.

Tucker is under team control through the 2025 season. This year, the Astros and Tucker were able to avoid arbitration and settled on a salary of just over $12 million for the upcoming season. That number is only going to go up in 2025, and if he hits the open market, Tucker will be one of the most sought-after players in free agency.

After agreeing to a five-year contract extension with Jose Altuve earlier this offseason, Astros fans are curious who's up next. All signs point to Alex Bregman testing the free agent market following the 2024 season. In addition to Tucker, starter Framber Valdez is also scheduled for free agency following the 2025 season.

Altuve's contract extension is heavily backloaded, so that should help Houston cobble together enough money to offer Tucker an extension worthy of his talents. The Astros will also have Justin Verlander's salary coming off the books following the 2024 season.

While a contract extension with Tucker would seem to be on hold for the moment, that doesn't mean it won't get done. The Astros have shown a willingness to spend money, and have even exceeded the Competitive Balance Tax threshold this year. Don't worry, Astros fans. It'll get done, but you'll probably have to wait longer than you'd like.

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