Kyle Tucker and the Cubs have come to terms on a 2025 contract, a source confirmed on Thursday. ESPN’s Jesse Rogers was first with the news.

After failing to reach terms ahead of the deadline to file arbitration numbers last week, the two sides finalized a one-year, $16.5 million deal that will cover the upcoming season. It’s Tucker’s final year of club control before free agency.

The Cubs filed at $15 million and Tucker’s camp at $17.5 million to an independent arbitrator. The move was procedural and the next step in the arbitration process, but both sides were free to negotiate on a deal up until a hearing in February. Thursday, they reached a compromise.

Now, the question will turn to whether the two sides can find common ground on a long-term deal — something that is more unlikely than reaching terms to avoid arbitration.

“I’m open to anything, whether that’s now or later,” Tucker said in his introductory press last month. “See how it goes. In terms of contracts or anything, as long as I go out and do my job when I’m on the field, that stuff will just take care of itself.

“My job’s not to worry about all that. It’s to go out there, perform, put up numbers, try to win games and get to the playoffs and World Series. … If you have the numbers, you can deal with the rest. I’m open to anything and everything. I feel like there’s no harm in listening and seeing where it goes.”

Tucker, though, may not be too motivated to sign a long-term deal. He’s been one of the best players the last few years and the market has led to historic contracts for position players the last two offseasons. Shohei Ohtani (10, $700 million with the Dodgers) and Juan Soto (15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets) have shown how a player can benefit in the open market.

The Cubs paid a hefty price to acquire the three-time All-Star from Houston. They sent All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes, right-handed pitcher Hayden Wesneski and 2024 1st-round pick Cam Smith. But they were comfortable with that cost because it was netting them a game-changing-type bat.

In 2024, Tucker slashed .289/.408/.585 (.993 OPS) with 23 home runs and 49 RBI. That came in 78 games, as a fractured shin limited his appearances last season. Since 2021, Tucker has hit 112 home runs with an .888 OPS, 360 RBI and 80 stolen bases, while accumulating 21.2 bWAR.

It’s the type of production that the Cubs have sorely been missing.

He would have ranked in the top 2 among the Cubs in home runs, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, weighted runs created plus and fWAR.