Is it believable that a player emerging as the biggest free agent in Major League Baseball once wanted to come to Korea? Power-hitting outfielder Kyle Tucker (28, Chicago Cubs) is making waves with four consecutive home runs, hinting at a blockbuster free agency.

Tucker started as the No. 2 hitter and right fielder in the away game against the 2025 Major League Athletics held at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, California, on the 2nd (Korea time), going 2-for-3 with a home run, 1 RBI, 3 runs, and 2 walks, leading the Cubs to a 7-4 victory.

In the 3rd inning with one out and no runners on base, Tucker took a low inside fastball from Athletics right-handed starter Luis Severino at 94.5 miles per hour (152.1 km/h) and launched it over the right-center fence. Despite being a good pitch on the inside, Tucker's intent turned it into a big home run. The ball was measured at a speed of 107.5 miles per hour (173.0 km/h), with a distance of 427 feet (130.1 m) and a launch angle of 27 degrees, marking his fourth home run of the season. He has hit home runs in four consecutive games since the 30th against the Arizona Diamondbacks, marking his first four-game home run streak of his career.

According to 'MLB.com,' Cubs manager Craig Counsell noted, "Tucker is an excellent hitter. I would say he is different." Veteran Justin Turner also praised, "Tucker literally hits strikes and tries not to hit balls. He is skilled at drawing walks. A truly excellent baseball player."

Tucker, a right-handed, left-handed outfielder who debuted in Major League Baseball with the Houston Astros in 2018, established himself as a regular player starting in 2020. He hit 30 home runs in both 2021 and 2022, and in 2023, he led the American League (AL) in RBIs with 112. With three All-Star selections, one Silver Slugger, and one Gold Glove to his name, Tucker recorded a batting average of .274 over 633 games during his seven seasons with Houston through last year, with 615 hits in 2,241 at-bats, 125 home runs, 417 RBIs, an on-base percentage of .353, a slugging percentage of .516, and an OPS of .870.

Demonstrating consistency for five consecutive years, Tucker has joined the ranks of the league's top hitters and was traded to the Cubs this year. With free agency approaching in a year, Houston used Tucker as a trade asset, sending him to Chicago in exchange for their starting third baseman Isaac Paredes, first-round infield prospect Cam Smith, and pitcher Hayden Wesneski.

After struggling early in spring training with a .100 batting average (3-for-30), 1 home run, 2 RBIs, and an OPS of .443 across 13 games, Tucker has since found his groove with a .353 batting average (12-for-34), 4 home runs, and 11 RBIs, resulting in an OPS of 1.303 over the first 8 games of the season. With this pace, he could contend with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays) for the title of the biggest free agent.

There was a time when Tucker wanted to come to Korea. Tucker's older brother, Preston Tucker (35), played four seasons in Major League Baseball from 2015 to 2018 as a left-handed outfielder and came to Korea in 2019. Joining the KBO League's KIA Tigers as a replacement foreign hitter, brother Tucker said, "I often communicate with my brother. When I mentioned I was going to Korea, he showed some interest. Maybe because he was in Triple-A, he seemed to have thoughts of wanting to come to Korea. Maybe we will see each other in Korea if an opportunity arises later."

At that time, Tucker was in a situation where he was bouncing between Major League Baseball and Triple-A. Back then, Houston had many good outfielders, including George Springer, Josh Reddick, Michael Brantley, and Yordan Alvarez, and he had yet to secure a spot in the big leagues. While he might have briefly considered going to Korea after seeing his brother seek new opportunities there, it was not realistic.

Drafted in the first round as the fifth overall pick in 2015, Tucker was being developed as Houston's top prospect. He established himself as a regular starter in the big leagues from 2020 and has grown into a central hitter as expected. With Tucker currently on a tear since the early days of free agency, it seems unlikely he will have a chance to come to Korea.

Meanwhile, the older brother Tucker, who played for KIA until 2021 and left Korea, signed minor league contracts with the Atlanta Braves in 2022 and the San Diego Padres in 2023 but played only in Triple-A without a big league call-up. After being released in August 2023 by San Diego, his career as a player came to an end.

[OSEN]