ST. LOUIS — Kyle Tucker is beginning to see Chicago at its peak.

“It’s a lot warmer now, so it’s a lot nicer and the wind’s been blowing out recently, so that helps,” the Cubs star slugger quipped Wednesday afternoon in the visitor’s clubhouse at Busch Stadium.

The chilly, brisk temperatures of April and May have given way to the hot, pleasant and vibrant summer days and nights that make Wrigley Field and Chicago so iconic. The breeze winds have shifted and the Friendly Confines have turned into a haven for a slugger like Tucker.

So, is Tucker – a free agent at the end of the season – entertaining extension talks with the Cubs’ front office and ready to make Chicago his home for the rest of his career?

“I mean, for the most part, we’re going to keep that between us,” Tucker said. “If anything happens, I’m sure you guys would know.”

All right, so still mum on that front – that’s not too surprising. But Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer mentioned when they first acquired Tucker in the blockbuster trade with Houston, that “Chicago sells itself really well.” Having a full season in the Windy City could help make his decision to stay easier.

“Obviously, everyone there’s really big Cubs fans, and they love coming to Wrigley and just experiencing the whole day at the park with all the stuff that kind of goes on around the field, while also coming into the field and watching our games,” he said. “It’s a city that I think thrives on its sports and wants to see their teams win and succeed, so we’re just trying to go out there and do our best to get in that. It’s been a lot of fun to be part of that.”

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It’s not just the sights and landmarks across Chicago that are appealing to Tucker, though. He spent his entire 11-year professional career in the Astros organization and briefly spent time at the Cubs’ facility in Mesa, Ariz. in 2017 when he played in the Fall League, but had no other basis for how things were done elsewhere.

“I think we have a great group of people here,” Tucker said. “I think facilities-wise and everything’s really nice, so it’s been a great organization that I’ve been part of this year.”

The Cubs’ hot start to the 2025 campaign – they began Wednesday in first place in the National League Central, 13 games above .500 – has helped build a palpable excitement at 1060 West Addison. Tucker’s .933 OPS, 16 home runs and 49 RBI is a key factor in that.

Tucker is a student of the game, too, and sees the groundwork that means 2025 isn’t just a fluke year.

“I always see our rankings for our minor leaguers and all the prospects and stuff,” Tucker said. “I obviously haven’t played with a whole lot of them, or know them that well, but we got a lot of young guys here that have played really well, and I think they’re just going to continue that throughout their careers.

“So I think there’s a good foundation here for success, not just this year, but afterwards.”

Whether Tucker is part of that will remain to be seen – and will continue to be a talking point for the next four months.