Yankees step up Kyle Tucker pursuit as possible trade package, competitors revealed

And, just like that, a New York Yankees trade for Kyle Tucker appears to have gone from a wild pipe dream to a serious possibility.

One year after testing the waters with a game-changing rental outfielder, Brian Cashman appeared on MLB Network to comment on his team's forthcoming aggressiveness, noting, “From the Yankees’ standpoint, no retreat, no surrender."

At the exact same time, reports of the team's dogged pursuit of Tucker hit the airwaves, as Joel Sherman noted that signing Fried has allowed the team to fully engage with Houston on their walk year wonder.

In addition to the Yankees, the Cubs have purportedly been active in Tucker's market so far, with the Giants and Phillies also touching base with Dana Brown. Brown made no secret of Tucker's availability earlier this week at the Winter Meetings, and worked with Cashman previously on several Braves-Yankees swaps.

According to Sherman, the Yankees' package could start with Luis Gil and Ben Rice. Before rival fans enter and laugh, claiming they know better than the Astros' front office what they'd like to have, Houston is purportedly "very interested" in Gil.

Yankees pursuing Kyle Tucker trade with Astros, dangling Luis Gil

Gil, the 2024 Rookie of the Year, became a bit more expendable when the Yankees topped their rotation with Fried, giving New York seven big-league ready starters (followed by Will Warren, Chase Hampton, and their Triple-A depth). While his first half was brilliant, he hit a wall midsummer, which lasted into the postseason; he was barely able to provide multiple innings by the time October rolled around. Clearly, Houston preferred the All-Star-adjacent first half and the four years of control, and is prepared to disregard the bruises and 49 1/3 innings of 4.20 ERA ball in the second half.

Rice fills a need for Houston at first base, and while his big-league tenure (outside of the three-homer game against Boston) didn't match his minor-league slugging, he does feel like a classic lefty Astros slugger who could find the right field porch. You know, much like Tucker.

For anyone who believes this package sounds light, recall that Juan Soto -- who is Juan Soto -- went for: Michael King (had made 9 noteworthy starts total, two years of control), Drew Thorpe (fringe top-100 guy, changeup specialist), Jhony Brito, Randy Vasquez, Kyle Higashioka (fodder and a backup catcher) AND New York took on Trent Grisham's salary. Gil, Rice, and a lower-level top prospect sounds like an overpay, in that context (without an extension).

Given the strength of the Cubs' farm and the history of the Yankees-Astros rivalry, this is likely Chicago's race to lose. But Soto defecting to the Mets has clearly opened up a whole new array of options for a scorned Cashman, and he's more than dabbling in a high-stakes one at the moment.