The Houston Astros have reportedly declined the Phillies’ recent trade offer for Kyle Tucker, according to MLB Insider Jim Bowden:

That audio is Jim Bowden and Steve Phillips on MLB Network Radio.

Here’s the full quote:

 “Dave Dombrowski made that offer. He offered Castellanos and Bohm for Tucker…2 for 1, and was turned down. The Astros don’t like Bohm defensively.I know that Rob Thomson told us at the Winter Meetings that he thinks he’s a good defender and has gotten better…the metrics were in his favor this year…and Rob Thomson told us that as well, but the Astros evaluation is different. They don’t view him there as a third baseman. And Castellanos is a guy that chases out of the zone, he’s older, he’s inconsistent, but he gets big hits. You have to ask yourself, would you do Bohm and Castellanos for a year of Tucker?” 

There were nuggets all over the place from Bowden and Phillips throughout this time on the air regarding Tucker. They talked about Seiya Suzuki and his no-trade clause, and it seems as though he won’t waive it to go to Houston. The Yankees are also reportedly a little hesitant to give away Luis Gil in a Tucker package.

New York has to be scared of another Soto situation. Tucker is set to hit the free agent market after the 2025 season, and there may have not been a bigger winner in the Soto sweepstakes than Tucker himself. Tucker will probably make north of $400 million following next season. How much is the right amount to trade away for a guy that you potentially only get one season of?


Whatever team gets Tucker is getting a superstar. The 27-year-old slashed .289/.408/.585 in 78 games in 2024 with 23 HRs, 49 RBIs, and a 4.7 WAR. Tucker’s WAR would be good for 2nd out of all Phillies position players, and he only played half of a season. His OPS+ hasn’t dipped below 129 since 2020. He finished 2024 with a .993 OPS while also swiping 11 bags. He hit into just five double plays in 78 games.

I’m all in on Kyle Tucker. If the Phillies are going to make a huge move this offseason, this is certainly the one I want it to be. But it seems like Dombrowski is going to have to up his offer if he wants any chance of Tucker in red pinstripes on March 27th.