For the first time since leaving his previous team, Kyle Tucker is finally coming back to Houston. After getting traded by the Astros on December 13, 2024, in exchange for Cam Smith, Hayden Wesneski, and Isaac Paredes, he is currently in his first season with the Chicago Cubs. After seven seasons with the Astros and a .274 average, Tucker was one of the most sought-after former stars, and the Astros have announced plans to honor him.And why won’t they?After all, it was Kyle Tucker and even Ryan Pressly who played major roles in the 2022 World Series win. The Astros bounced back from a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. They won three straight games, which ultimately resulted in a 4-1 victory in game six, giving them their second World Series title since 2017. In game one, Tucker was able to hit consecutive home runs in his couple of at-bats while facing Aaron Nola. Ryan Pressly, the Astros’ closer, finished the game without giving up a hit and only gave up one walk in the ninth. No wonder the Astros want to pay homage to them.As per the former sports director of Fox 26, Mark Berman, “The Astros announced before Friday’s game against the Cubs the Astros will welcome back 2022 World Series Champions Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly in a special pregame tribute.” The last time the Astros won the World Series, they honored the players with the World Series rings that tell the history of the 2022 season. But this time, the Astros want to give them a pre-game tribute, maybe something even more special.The Astros announced before Friday’s game against the Cubs the Astros will welcome back 2022 World Series Champions Kyle Tucker and Ryan Pressly in a special pregame tribute.— Mark Berman (@MarkBerman_) June 24, 2025There’s no official statement coming from the clubhouse about what they are planning for Tucker and Pressly. But yes, Astros wants to make the occasion memorable. Who knows? Perhaps they will receive an audio tribute or even a presentation that highlights the victory and their respective performances. If you remember, Tucker breathed fire in game one of the outings against the Phillies. He blasted off two home runs and collected four RBIs as well. He even had a batting average of .239 in the 17 World Series games, recording 11 hits, two home runs, five RBIs, and eight runs scored. In a 3-2 victory over the Phillies, Ryan Pressly finished with five outs, joining him as one of the team’s best pitchers.But in 2024, the Astros finally cut ties with both of them. Under Jim Crane, the Astros never offered more than $151 million or a contract longer than six years. They could have kept Tucker, who might have played this season with them; however, he was traded instead to the Cubs. On the other hand, the primary reason for Pressly’s departure was their need for some financial stability. They wanted to go for Alex Bregman, but ultimately, he went to the Red Sox.However, the Cubs fans are enjoying every bit of their services on the ground. In addition to his 3.1 fWAR, Tucker’s versatility with the bat, glove, and legs increased his strength. Tucker’s swing of the bat with his left hand delivered great power and consistency. Naturally, it gave the Cubs the ability to score runs against their opponents in a more comprehensive manner, which was something they lacked in previous seasons.By staying healthy and fit, he maintained a high level of performance and fueled a bidding war between the teams vying for his services.Kyle Tucker is aiming for a massive trade, but the Cubs are against itShortly after leaving the Astros, where he spent so many years, Kyle Tucker made a statement. “I appreciate everything that the Houston Astros team and the city itself has done for me and my family since I got drafted in ’15 until now.” According to GM Dana Brown, the Astros traded Tucker in an attempt to maintain their team’s strength over the long term. On the inside, though, Tucker didn’t find the earlier talks with the Astros to be fruitful. In a lost arbitration case, Tucker wanted a $7.5 million salary for 2023, which was denied by the Astros, who offered him $5 million. He was also looking for a long-term contract, but the Astros were against it, as it goes against their tradition. “I understand the avoidance of long-term deals, and I respect that. A lot of those long-term deals, they don’t end well,” the general manager stated. And the disappointment was quite obvious for Tucker. The 28-year-old believed there was a difference between how a player is perceived and the value associated with that player, even though he performed admirably for the Astros. The hardest part was having to listen to the Astros’ pointers, even though he did his best to keep the fans happy. This somehow had a detrimental effect on the compensation. No wonder the negotiations finally didn’t work, and he was traded to the Cubs in 2024. Shortly after joining the Cubs, he said, “And I don’t think I could have gone to a much better organization than the Cubs. So, I’m excited to start playing in front of the fans and in the city and everything else.” And guess what, Tucker has been doing great for the Cubs. He led the team to victory against the Yankees and other teams.However, there’s a dark shadow looming in the Cubs’ clubhouse. With Kyle Tucker about to enter free agency, he now faces a huge decision to make. The Cubs made a bold move in the offseason in the hopes that the outfielder would be a long-term addition. With his absence, there might be a major gap in their left field. So, very likely, they will put every bit of effort into not having him in free agency, with several franchises already eyeing him for quite some time.Well, in a market where players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Juan Soto fetched humongous deals, it’s likely that Kyle Tucker will also fetch, if not similar numbers, then definitely close to those. With age on his side and a postseason success already etched in his resume, he may perhaps command a deal above $500 million, a financial amount that’s only there for the generational talents.Do you believe the Red Sox and Giants have the upper hand or that Kyle Tucker will return to the Cubs? The post Kyle Tucker Returns to Houston as Astros Make Major Announcement for Former Star’s Homecoming appeared first on EssentiallySports.