Kyle Tucker will begin the 2025 season with the Chicago Cubs after spending the first seven years of his career in Houston. The best part is that he’ll play in the season opener in Tokyo, where he has a one-in-a-million chance to join Manny Machado in a record few players have achieved.
The exclusive club Manny Machado is a part of, which Tucker and his Cubs teammate Dansby Swanson could join, is a short list of MLB players who have hit a home run in four different countries. The stats were compiled and presented by Elias Sports Bureau and Sarah Langs.
In his first season with the Cubs, Tucker could kick things off with a significant milestone. Considering he hit 23 home runs last MLB season with the Astros, it’s likely he could have another 20-plus home run season with Chicago.
Meanwhile, Swanson enters his third season with the Cubs. Last year, he contributed just 16 home runs, marking the first time in three years he recorded fewer than 20. However, he had fewer plate appearances, with 593 compared to the 638 he had with the team in 2023.
The Exclusive List Featuring Manny Machado
Manny Machado stands among the record holders for international home runs, with three of the players on the list still active. Aside from Machado, the other active players are Xander Bogaerts and Mitch Haniger, while Michael Brantley and Tony Clark have retired from professional baseball.
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The Cubs Aim for a Better Season
The 2025 season will start on a special note for the Cubs with a game in Tokyo. However, their focus extends beyond the opener—they are determined to improve on their 2024 record of 83 wins and 79 losses, which fell short of securing a playoff spot.
