Dodgers to Sign Kyle Tucker: What to make of move

The Dodgers have used their massive financial juggernaut status very well over the last three winters. And for the second time in three years, the Dodgers land the crown jewel of the offseason. Kyle Tucker, arguably the best free agent this year, is joining the Dodgers.

A Look at Tucker

In December 2024, the Cubs acquired outfielder Kyle Tucker, who came off a .993 OPS season with the Astros, albeit in a shortened year. Tucker was on a contract year in 2025, and while it wasn’t a clean year, it certainly was an effective one.

Tucker had an immediate impact not just for himself but on the rest of the Cubs’ lineup, including Michael Busch — who had a career year in 2025 — and Seiya Suzuki. The four-time All-Star slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 25 stolen bases, and 51 total extra-base hits.

The one blemish on Tucker’s regular-season campaign was a bad July, one where he slashed .218/.380/.295. Tucker was having significant problems rolling off balls, although he came back from it to have a relatively decent August. Tucker posted a .735 OPS.

Tucker has the resume and the numbers to back up his status as an elite outfielder. The 28-year-old is among the best chase & whiff hitters, regularly working counts. And in terms of offensive production, Tucker hit at least 20 home runs in each of his last five campaigns. His career high in extra-base hits was 71 back in 2023.

Among outfielders, Tucker had the 11th-most extra-base hits (205). He’s also never struck out more than 95 times in a single season.

Per multiple reports, the Dodgers will sign Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240MM deal.

Analysis

It is an astonishingly high number for Tucker, who will get the benefit of a massive contract and the ability to test the market before the end of the decade. Mind you, he’ll be just 32 years of age in four years.

For the Dodgers, it’s the same story that it has been for years: do everything at all costs to win. Tucker does just that, as he’ll join a loaded outfield that currently includes Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernandez. However, it will be interesting to see whether the Dodgers look to offload one outfielder, like Hernandez, to either move off money or gain other assets.

The big losers here are the Mets and Blue Jays.

Toronto’s lineup would have looked fantastic with Tucker sandwiched in between George Springer and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Granted, it’s not like the Blue Jays haven’t done anything this winter. The reigning AL champions have been very active, bringing in Kazuma Okamoto, Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Cody Ponce.

As for the Mets, Tucker would have been a coup and taken some heat off the team after losing Pete Alonso and Edwin Diaz. Now, not so much.

It also means that for Cody Bellinger and Bo Bichette, their markets may have heated up dramatically.