Kyle Tucker is the top free agent in this year’s class. That more or less guarantees that he’ll be linked to the two-time defending champions. Jon Heyman of The New York Post wrote last month that the Dodgers were likely to make a run at Tucker this offseason.
That may well be the case, but Jeff Passan of ESPN writes that the Dodgers don’t seem inclined to make a decade-long commitment to the star outfielder. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic wrote last night that while the Dodgers aren’t ruling out a Tucker pursuit, they’re also not opposed to making a short-term outfield move while awaiting the arrival of internal reinforcements.
In the short term, the Dodgers’ biggest weaknesses are the outfield and late-inning relief. Michael Conforto certainly won’t be back after his one-year free agent deal busted. Kiké Hernández, their primary left fielder in the postseason, is also a free agent. Andy Pages had a poor second half that carried into a dreadful playoffs. Tommy Edman battled an ankle injury late in the season that led the Dodgers to prefer him at second base. (He’s undergoing surgery and is expected to be full go for Spring Training.) Even Teoscar Hernández was a relative weak point in right field. He hit .247/.284/.454 while playing very poor defense.
Assuming the Dodgers intend to keep Mookie Betts at shortstop, the outfield isn’t currently in great shape. It’d probably line up with Pages, Edman and Hernández as the primary options. Alex Call and Ryan Ward — the latter of whom was just added to the 40-man roster to keep him out of minor league free agency — could platoon in left field if the Dodgers want Edman in the infield.
They’ll need to make some kind of external acquisition, but it’s understandable if they don’t want to make an extended free agent play. The long-term outfield picture is more promising than the current mix. In August, Baseball America included four Dodgers outfielders (Josue De Paula, Zyhir Hope, Mike Sirota and Eduardo Quintero) among the sport’s top 60 overall prospects. That doesn’t include top catching prospect Dalton Rushing, whose path to playing time behind the plate is blocked by Will Smith. Rushing didn’t play any outfield during his rookie season but has logged a little less than 300 career innings as a left fielder in the minors.
Of the aforementioned prospects, only Rushing will be in the mix for an MLB roster spot early in 2026. Sirota and Quintero have yet to reach Double-A. De Paula and Hope have played a combined 10 games at that level. None of the four have any Triple-A experience. It’s unlikely all four will pan out given the attrition rate of prospects who are that far from the majors, but the Dodgers will want to have long-term opportunities available for each of them.
The balance could be to turn to the trade market. Steven Kwan, Lars Nootbaar (recovering from heel surgeries), Brendan Donovan and Wilyer Abreu are among the outfield-capable players who might be available. The Dodgers were tied to Kwan and Donovan at last summer’s deadline. They certainly have the farm system to make a strong offer for a controllable outfielder. Rushing could be a trade chip if the Dodgers don’t feel he’d be an above-average regular in left field, for instance.
The Dodgers obviously have the spending capacity to make a run at any free agent as well. They’ve generally preferred making shorter-term commitments at huge annual rates to offering decade-long deals, though. They’ve broken that precedent for Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but both were special cases. Ohtani is the best player in the world and Yamamoto was a 25-year-old ace. Tucker is an excellent player but not that kind of unique free agent. The Dodgers would probably be more amenable to a five- or six-year deal at a premium AAV if Tucker winds up going that route, but it stands to reason his camp will try to pull a ten-plus year commitment in the early part of the offseason.
Honestly, I don’t see the Dodgers signing him. Might end up with the Phillies.
I can see the Phillies or Giants. Giants are in need of a right field power bat.
Book it !
8/400M
10-400
9-415
6 at 40.
I could see the ‘25 World Series Finalist, the Toronto Blue Jays, inking him to another large contract, right after they re-sign Bo Bichette to a 7-year pact!!!
That’s a lot of money in an off season, but would be cool to see a team go out and spend it. I just know that Giants are in some serious need of a right fielder.
Probably still less combined than they offered Ohtani.
It is a lot of money, but it’s not like it hasn’t been done before. The Rangers in 2022 signed Seager for $325M, Semien for $175M, and Jon Gray for $56M.
Absolutely it has been done before, just not very often. It’s a rare occurrence
@Floridacoach 2
On the low side of things, Bichette at 25, Tucker at 35, and top of the rotation starter for 35. So about 100M and they still have to do stuff like arb awards, bullpen needs and the like.
Is weed legal in Florida?
I would love for a mystery team to come out of nowhere and get him.
We found Scott Boras’ burner account! Or maybe it’s Jon Heyman’s.
I am thinking Yankees or Mets.
Maybe Mets, but re-signing Bellinger is probably what the Yankees prefer to do. He’s going to be cheaper and they know he can play there.
I think Bellinger will be the Yankees fallback if they are outbid
Who to believe? Passen or Heyman? Tough choice.
Heyman is such a stooge. I don’t know how his crap gets repeated so often.
Heyman is Bora$ mouthpiece so I think we know.
I meant to be sarcastic with that but I’m not sure it came across. Passen is very good.
FWIW, it was very obvious to me so I think it should have been to This one as well. Passan is the gold standard these days.
Passan can take 30 lines to say what could be said in 2, but yes in a different tier compared to Heyman (or Lin or Rosenthal).
After seeing him miss a lot of time in the second half (like last year)and have virtually no impact in the playoffs for the Cubs, I have to ask what sane team would offer this guy 10 years?
I’m good on the Cubs passing on Tucker. Put Owen Caissie in the outfield and give him a long look next season.
Caissie will be traded for pitching. Watch.
Teams need to shorten their offers in general. Players are never worth it at the end if tehir contracts.
You should have a word with those teams.
And players are almost always worth way more than their contracts in the beginning
The idea is for it to balance out
Plus, it lowers the AAV so when star players are at their best, teams can surround them with more talent
@rondon: He really didn’t have all that much impact during the season either, except for two or three weeks in April when he made consistent solid contact and a couple of games in AL West parks. His reputation is better than he is. And, for some reason, it seems to be very important for many people to overrate him. (I think that reason is that he is a very good “analytics” player, so to acknowledge that he is nothing special is to cast doubt on the preeminence of analytics, and they can’t stand that.)
Suggesting that a guy who has hit .277/.365/.514 with an average of 28 doubles, 27 homers, 20 stolen bases over the past five years, who doesn’t strike out much and plays solid defense is an overrated “analytics player” is definitely an opinion.
Also, the guy who “didn’t have all that much impact during the season… except for two or three weeks in April” put up a .935 OPS in April, .882 in May, .982 in June despite fracturing his hand on June 1.
After the hand fracture finally slowed him down, he still got on base a .363 clip in July and August, before finally going on the IL in early September.
Heck, even in the postseason while he didn’t do anything in the Wild Card series, he posted the third best OPS on the team (.866) in the Division Series, despite missing essentially the entire last month of the regular season.
Honestly, if you have such a low opinion of Kyle Tucker, you either haven’t paid attention to his career or you just don’t know baseball.
Ok. Rant over.
Thanks for ending your rant, notbrooks. You are simply wrong. Watching the Cubs game by game, we saw that he was a significant disappointment. His swing got longer and loopier as the season went on, and he played pepper with the first baseman much of the time. He had good “plate coverage,” but it was the kind that resulted in a lot of easy flies to center, so it really wasn’t very good. He walked a lot and the broadcasters purred about his “great eye,” but a better hitter would have made good contact on those inch-outside pitches. I know that getting the middle hit in a rally in the second inning can sometimes be as valuable as getting a walk-off hit in the bottom of the ninth–but he did not get a walk-off all season, and I submit that a star has to do star things once in a while to be a star.
The hand injury might have played a role (and the injury from 2024 might have been bothering him too). And you’re right, looking at his last five years, he was better over that time as a whole. But he was not good last season for the Cubs, and we were very disappointed, because we had been assured he was “one of the five or 10 best players in baseball” and all that stuff, and he wasn’t. He finished SIXTH on the team in homers, and sixth on the team in RBI’s. If he goes to the Dodgers where he can be a supporting player, he might be OK at that, so let him go.
Alan, did you ever feel that Tucker was comfortable playing in RF at Wrigley? I didn’t. He is probably an 8/335 player who will finagle a 9th year out of someone, but he’s a better fit in Philadelphia where he doesn’t have to be the savior but instead can slot in behind Harper and Turner and alongside potentially Schwarber and Realmuto if they return.
It’s just too good of a fit. John Middleton knows that Dave Dombrowski will leave an awful rebuild mess to clean up eventually and Tucker’s years 7-9 can be part of that.
I don’t think the Phillies can keep Realmuto, and Schwarber (which I think they’ll try and do) and still have room for a Tucker deal.
I feel like they almost have to bring back Realmuto, because the other guys on the market are not really starters. If he walks, they would probably have to sign a catcher and trade for another one. They’ve only been getting away with rostering Marchan or Stubbs the last few years because they’re only using a backup catcher once a week.
I do think Tucker is overrated. Still a solid player but I wouldn’t want my team falling all over themselves to pay him $400M+.
So the only factor repeatedly connecting Tucker to the Dodgers is based on pure speculation? Hey, we knew that already.
Personally, I expect a trade. The best candidate is Donovan, though I really like saying Lars Nootbar.
Personally, I expect the Dodgers to trade pitching to Red Sox for Duran.
But the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Giants, Cubs and Blue Jays are teams that could afford Tucker and have some outfield need. There is not one of those teams that I see as most likely.
If Tucker is signed by the Cubs it will maybe be two years at $45 million per year with a player opt-out after the first year. Dodgers would also like a deal like that. Tucker will likely be smart and go the 10-year deal even if he “only” gets $325 to $350 million.
Duran is a possibility if they’re looking for only a year.
The optics of trading another star outfielder to the Dodgers, right after getting back to the playoffs, might not be good.
The Red Sox have a surplus of outfielders and a deficiency of pitchers. The optics of getting better are good.
You left out Tibbs.
He didnt make top 100 prospect. But probably make top 150 IMHO. With Tibbs, Dodgers had 5 OF prospect that could help them in 2027. So, i dont see the Dodgers signing Tucker
that’s Mr. Tibbs to you.
Future Dodger. Still think Tucker will sign with the Dodgers. He would be a great fit for this ball club. I don’t know if it will be a longing deal or a shorter deal, but I think they are the favorites to sign him.
It could happen if Tucker doesn’t get a 10-year offer. But I think one of either Philly or Toronto might.
Do the Dodgers try to reunite with Cody Bellinger? He can play CF/OF/1B. Freeman is getting older, so he’s a natural backup 1B plan in a few years as well there.
doubtful.
He’s a good fit, but I have the feeling the player and the team are not on the best of terms.
Blue. I guess that’s the case but never heard a reason why. Do you know?
Pardon my intrusion…
Dodgers non-tendered Belli after the 2022 season following a pretty severe drop in Belli’s production. Belli was not happy about the non-tender (and neither were some fans).
If fans weren’t happy then they’re goofy. Belli was awful…beyond bad.
Agreed
Hey, buttinsky!
Yep, this is my understanding of the situation. Bellinger had those two really awful seasons due to injuries. After the Dodgers non-tendered him he signed a much bigger multiyear contract with the Cubs than the Dodgers would have had to pay to retain him for one — and he played up to it besides. This might be the worst call the Dodgers have made in recent years.
Worse than Conforto?
Way worse. That was a single year contract. Here and gone. Not only did they give up a rebound year from Bellinger (and his defense) after suffering through those terrible down years, they surrendered the opportunity to extend him a QO. I doubt anybody in the Dodgers FO is trying to take ownership of that mistake.
He was literally beyond terrible. Had some good memories but watching him sleepwalk his way through the season was irritating.
I doubt anyone was sad, when he was gone.
Some fans fall in love with their players.
Say… what?
Nope. Been there done that.
Been where? Done what?
The dodgers are smart with their money. I believe Kwan more than this
Pages had a rough postseason (made a tremendous catch gm 7 tho) but had a great regular season. 27hr,86rbi,14sb . only 24 yrs old. Perfect fit in that lineup
Pages had a great first half. The rest of the season needed quite a bit of work.
The Dodgers are not gonna sign him
In ten years, I want to see how many games Tucker plays versus misses due to injury between 2026 and 2035 seasons.
I picked the Dodgers to sign Tucker, but I’m not sure who ends up signing him.
I can’t see Tucker getting anywhere near a 10 year deal. 5 or 6 years maybe? He’s good but I can see a deal for him that won’t tie up a club with the roster spot and salary for all those years
Your first two sentences are why I just picked the dodgers for about 80% of my top 50 free agent picks
If it takes only 2 sentences for you to make up your mind, there’s no hope for someone like you.
Good luck out there.
I didn’t do it as a response to this article, genius…
The author of the article basically said “he’s a free agent therefore the dodgers are interested”
They’ve proven that the last two years. I was agreeing. I turned in my (semi tongue in cheek) answers the first day the contest released.
If that’s the best reading comprehension you have, there’s no hope for someone like you.
Cardinals send Masyn Winn, Arenado, Nootbar to Dodgers for top 5 prospect plus 2 other top 20 prospects. No cash changes hands. Mookie can go back to the outfield and Nootbar provides excellent depth as a part time player where he can try to stay healthy. Much cheaper than Tucker long term and helps both teams with their issues.
Cards won’t trade Winn. Him and weatherholt are probably the only untouchables in the organization. Cards have no viable back up options past Winn for shortstop. To get him it would take 2 top 6 prospects in their minors I would think. Still can’t see them tracing winn.
I would hate to see the trade as a Cards fan. He’s a great defender but not a player that can carry a team out of a rebuild due to his inconsistent bat. I don’t think the Cardinals will be ready to contend before he is a free agent either.
sheeesh, why do Cardinal fans keep trying to find a way to dump Arenado on the Dodgers. That contract is toxic and he is no longer even an average player. For crying out loud the Dodgers have a third baseman AND it’s team friendly to boot!
He is rumored to certainly be agreeable to going there, they have the money to shrug off the contract. They also have a history of bringing in veteran players with solid skills to be role players late in their careers. Winn’s value would be lowered by including Arenado but it’s the only way the Cardinals are getting out from that contract they don’t want.
The Dodgers have a SS and a 3B. What Arenado wants is not relevant. The Dodgers (and most likely no other team) want anything to do with him or his toxic contract.
The problem with Tucker is he will inevitably get injured and need DH AB’s which the Dodgers don’t have to give. Might be very expensive for 120 games per year if they are lucky
I’m honestly not sure there’s a ten year deal out for Tucker. I still think he does sign with the Dodgers just not for THAT long.
It depends on how much competition there is for him. If say 3 teams really want him, and the offers are all in the same ballpark, the team that expands their offer to more years is the team with the best chance to land him.
A lot of the things fan don’t like, and think is stupid for teams to offer, like opt-outs and extra years, are the things that get guys to sign. Plus no team expects the last 2 years on a 10 year deal to be productive. If they get good production for the first 8 years they’re ecstatic. If it’s 3 non-productive years it’s just the cost of doing business. For a guy entering his age 29 season, I could see some team going 10 years.
Oh dont get me wrong, I get all of that, but he’s had some issues the last two years that will make potential suitors think twice for that length. I’d be worried about him breaking down far earlier than the last two years. Unfortunately I do think his health has put a wrinkle in a ten year deal.
I guess I don’t see his injury history being as problematic as you do. It isn’t like he has chronic back issues or needed core surgery. His injury history is mostly sprains, strains, and a couple fractures. Those types aren’t that alarming for a guy that plays hard.
I’m amazed that the Dodgers, the most dominant team in baseball, have so many problems. They constantly seem to need the next superstar. But as long as they win championships, I will be happy to root for them, as they are Nottheyankees.
Without problems the day would be over at 11:00 AM.
Yours, maybe.
Baseball is hard.
Wanting and needing are quite different, as we know.
I agree that the Dodgers probably won’t sign him because they have a lot of guys that are very flexible to play different positions and signing Tucker would cut down playing time for them.
The best solution would be, to move Mookie Betts back to RF and land the 26 years old Japanese Slugger Murakami to manage 3B. In addition to that, they could always go after a legit 2B or SS to reinforce the Middle INF. Jorge Polanco could be that short term option for a couple of years with Edman, Rojas and Kike as back up options. But they would be better getting an Outfielder or two since is deeper, signing Polanco and keeping Mookie at SS. That being said, this could be very well a good Dodgers line up.
1. Shohei Ohtani DH
2. Mookie Betts SS
3. Munetaka Murakami 3B
4. Andy Pages CF
5. Freddie Freeman 1B
6. Will Smith C
7. Teoscar Hernandez LF
8. Jorge Polanco 2B
9. Lane Thomas RF
A reunion with Bellinger wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world either. He could play CF, Teoscar LF and Pages could shift to RF.
We just re-upped Muncy but you are tossing him to the curb.
Sure why not
Come on, White Sox!
(Wakes up from dream disappointed in reality)
Heyman pumping up the value of a boras guy like the good little stooge that he is.
I don’t see LAD or SF signing Tucker when both can spend money on pitching. Phillies might but I don’t see Schwarber getting signed too. Toronto might have the greatest motivation.
Giants could use Tucker and they have money. Tucker is a much better fit, long term, than the expensive talent Posey has signed or traded for in the past year. I know Posey is prioritizing pitching; but Tucker would be an excellent addition for Giants.
How much help to the Dodgers need?
Those trophies are heavy. Need a lot of muscle to carry them around.
I’d ask that once (and if) he signs with the Dodgers.
But as of right now, that question doesn’t need to be asked.
Tucker is over rated, hope the Yanks don’t even entertain the thought of signing him
The dodgers have enough depth to trade for either of the Red Sox guys, Buxton, or my personal dark horse Christian Yelich
Buxton has a no trade clause and has repeatedly said he’s not going anywhere, even after the Twins traded half the team.
That Dodgers pipeline of overrated prospects keeps churning out MLB caliber stars, don’t they.
Every year they have to sign superstars while getting little to no help from their “prized” farm system.
/sarcasm
Thanks for identifying /sarcasm. I was pretty sure you were serious since you are a Giants fan.
Anywhere but the Dodger$, Yankee$, or Padre$. Maybe Tampa’s new owners will put their money where their mouth is. He is from the area.
Never. Gonna. Happen.
Wishful thinking: Steven Kwan, Jarren Duren, Kyle Stowers (yes I know he would command a lot, but he also is a bit older as well, turns 28 in the off-season. Would Miami part with him after his breakout season?
Actual more logical thinking: Luis Robert (moves Pages to RF), Tyler O’Neill (Baltimore desperately wants to get out of that contract and not the first time Dodgers take advantage of a bad contract handed out by another team), Bryan Reynolds (see Baltimore). Harrison Bader (free agency and plays elite defense in CF).
But if the Dodgers trade Dalton Rushing, who are they giving the backup catching position to? Ben Rortvedt?
They need a decent backup to make sure Will Smith is fresh for the their annual post-season run.
Don’t think they will be in a hurry to part with Rushing. More likely they trade OF prospect(s) and/or young pitching. But Rortvedt is competent enuf to play twice a week. He proved that while Smith was down with a fractured hand.
Rortvedt would be a good back-up C but Rushing has a ton of value and won’t be given away for cheap.
Agreed, they have parted ways with Keibert Ruiz and Diego Cartaya for premium level players. Not saying Rushing is untouchable but they would only include him in any deal for a legitimate difference making bat. Duran and Stowers accomplish getting younger and also OF help.
I wish the Giants had Rortvedt to back up Bailey.
“Andy Pages had a poor second half”? Plz define “poor”?
Pissed in pants in postseason
The catch Pages made in Game 7 forgave a lot of poor hitting.
I made several comments that disappeared. What gives?
Conspiracy.
This one didn’t.
@BlueSkies_LA
Don’t say that. Stick to the script until the black helicopter is in position.
Sheezus. Not again.
Awesome.
Because baseball is more fun when there is one team that outspends everyone else and wins.
What the heck is the issue with Ryan Ward? Looks like he’s a late-blooming power hitting outfielder who has never been given a chance on the big league club. No?
Good question. He’s had a couple of spring training invitations but never made the cut. My guess is the Dodgers protected him from free agency to make him available in a trade over the winter or out of camp this spring.
Looks like this past Spring training he batted .111/.200/.111 with no HR’s in 18 at bats. That’ll send you back to the minors.
Put Ohtani in the outfield you cowards
I don’t see Dodgers signing Tucker. If the market is slow for him and there’s a short term deal to be had, sure. For whatever reason he somehow seems like not a good clubhouse fit, plus his defense isn’t great and Dodgers outfield defense was Teo-rrible last year.
I see Dodgers maybe reuniting with Belli or making a trade for Kwan, Donovan or someone else.