Oct 9, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) reacts after hitting a home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the seventh inning for game four of the NLDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images David Banks-Imagn Images

Yankees Competition for Kyle Tucker Growing Rapidly

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Michael Rosenstein | Last updated Nov 19, 2025 9:46 AM ET

Despite outfielder Trent Grisham accepting the one-year qualifying offer, expect New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman to stay the course in free agency.

That means more rumors linking the Yankees to Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker, who's regarded as the best all-around position player available on the open market.

Expanding Market

"The Blue Jays, coming off their first World Series berth in more than three decades, have no plans to slow down," ESPN's Jeff Passan reports. "They are considered the favorite by other executives to land Tucker. If (Kyle) Schwarber leaves Philadelphia, Tucker makes plenty of sense there, particularly as the Phillies pivot to get younger, with 21-year-old Justin Crawford expected to enter spring training as the favorite to win their center field job.

"Though Tucker makes sense for a Los Angeles Dodgers team in need of a productive outfield bat, sources said their interest is more likely to be on a high-dollar, shorter-term deal," Passan adds. "Top free agents, particularly those Tucker's age (29 in January), rarely sacrifice years for dollars, making Los Angeles a longer shot.

"Tucker's desire to win, though, will be a guiding principle, keeping the New York Yankees and Mets -- despite the presence of their MVP-caliber right fielders, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto -- in the mix for the time being," Passan notes.

Matt Marton-Imagn Images

"Other teams that could make sense for Tucker include the San Francisco Giants (who have the payroll flexibility) and Baltimore Orioles (who are likelier to use their financial muscle on pitching, though president of baseball operations Mike Elias did draft Tucker as Houston's scouting director in 2015)," Passan concludes.

Contract Projections

The Athletic's Jim Bowden told MLB Radio he's high on Tucker going to the Blue Jays and projects Tucker will get a 10-year, $427 million contract.

The New York Post's Jon Heyman predicts Tucker will land an 11-year, $375 million contract.

While Grisham deciding to return to the Bronx complicates the Yankees' finances, he's not expected to prevent Cashman from landing another bat for the lineup. Question is whether the Yankees want to chase Tucker or re-sign Cody Bellinger.

Why the fuss about Tucker? Well, he's hit at least 22 home runs in each of the last five seasons. The four-time All-Star won a Gold Glove Award in 2022 and Silver Slugger Award in 2023. In fact, Tucker finished fifth in voting for American League MVP in 2023 after driving in a career-high and league-leading 112 runs.

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