CHICAGO ¨C Kyle Tucker will get to celebrate his birthday on Friday by experiencing the rowdy opening night of Cubs Convention, giving him a taste of what fans will bring to Wrigley Field this summer. What the star outfielder will not have to worry about is a contract.

On Thursday, the Cubs avoided arbitration with Tucker with a one-year deal that will pay him $16.5 million for the upcoming season, sources told MLB.com. On the eve of his 28th birthday, Tucker was able to move beyond the brief contractual stalemate with the Cubs, who are hoping his skills can help fuel a run to the postseason this year.

Now, Tucker can take in Cubs Con ¨C happening this weekend at the Sheraton Grand Chicago ¨C without having to answer questions about the unsettled negotiations. For at least this season, Tucker will be in a Cubs uniform. Barring an extension, the outfielder is under control for the North Siders for this one season ahead of free agency.

The Cubs acquired Tucker from the Astros on Dec. 13 in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski and Top 100 prospect Cam Smith. After landing Tucker to be a focal point of the offense, Chicago flipped outfielder Cody Bellinger to the Yankees to clear payroll and loosen the outfield logjam.

Last week, the Cubs exchanged salary figures for ¡®25 with Tucker, who sought $17.5 million, compared to the $15 million offered by the team. Rather than take the case to an arbitration panel, the sides found a middle ground on Thursday. That put the finishing touch on the Cubs¡¯ arbitration class this winter.

The Cubs have had just four arbitration-eligible players reach a hearing in the last 35 offseasons, with only Ian Happ (2021) winning his case. Prior to Happ, only Shawon Dunston (1990) and Bruce Sutter (1980) won a case against the ballclub.

Tucker¡¯s situation was impacted by the fact that he only appeared in 78 games due to a small fracture in his right shin, but that hardly impacted his play when on the field. In that small sample, the right fielder still posted 4.7 bWAR with a .289/.408/.585 slash line to go with 23 homers, 49 RBIs and more walks (56) than strikeouts (54).

Tucker has put up 21.2 bWAR with a 145 OPS+ and .888 OPS over the last four years combined. In that span, he has hit .280/.362/.527 with 112 homers, 115 doubles, 360 RBIs, 307 runs, 248 walks and 80 stolen bases. That period saw him make three All-Star teams, win a Gold Glove (¡®22) and place fifth in American League MVP voting (¡®23).

As things currently stand, Tucker figures to be the Cubs¡¯ primary right fielder, with Seiya Suzuki also playing that position and serving as a designated hitter. Pete Crow-Armstrong will be to Tucker¡¯s right in center field and three-time Gold Glove Award recipient Happ is locked in as Chicago¡¯s left fielder.

With a solid rotation (led by Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga and Jameson Taillon), a defense anchored by the middle-infield duo of Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner and a farm system with seven Top 100 prospects (including Opening Day third base candidate Matt Shaw), the Cubs believe they can end their four-year playoff drought this year. Tucker certainly has experience on that front, having 64 playoff games and three World Series trips under his belt from his years in Houston.