Why Astros would trade Kyle Tucker as Yankees make a lot of sense

Kyle Tucker seems like the type of player a contending team like the Astros would want to work out a long-term deal with.The 27-year-old outfielder, who is entering his walk year, hits for power and average, gets on base and, unlike many players these days, has good plate discipline, having never struck out 100 times in a season.He has the attributes of a lineup cornerstone.So why do the Astros want to trade him?As longtime Astros beat writer Brian McTaggart explained on MLB Network, Houston has lost a number of major players to free agency in recent years like Carlos Correa, George Springer and Gerrit Cole, and the team no longer has the kind of farm system to make up for those losses.“Could get a couple of impact players, maybe a prospect or two, save a lot of money.

And Astros fans will probably scream, but this makes a lot of sense to trade Kyle Tucker at this point,” McTaggart, who writes for MLB.com, said Wednesday.As far as suitors go, McTaggart says “the Yankees make a lot of sense in a lot of ways.”The Post’s Joel Sherman first reported Wednesday morning that the Yankees are among the teams most seriously pursuing a trade for Tucker, noting the Cubs are also a strong suitor and the Giants are also in talks with Houston.The Phillies also checked in.In the wake of Juan Soto’s record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets that can potentially reach over $800 million, Tucker could be in line for a $300 million or possibly $400 million payday in free agency next winter.Despite playing in just 78 games last year due to a shin injury, Tucker still had a 4.7 wins above replacement (WAR) while hitting 23 home runs with 49 RBIs, a .289 average and .993 OPS.The Astros are very interested in AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, Sherman reported, and the Yankees’ signing of Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million contract better positions them to trade a starting pitcher in a potential Tucker deal.Landing Tucker would also soften the blow of l...