5:15pm: The Jays have made Tucker a long-term offer, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN, though no details on that offer have been reported.
1:35pm: The Mets have made Tucker an offer with a $50MM AAV, per reports from John Mincone as well as Robert Murray of FanSided.
11:37am: The top free agent of the offseason is still unsigned with about a month to go until pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Some recent reporting, including from Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio, has suggested the Blue Jays, Dodgers and Mets are the top suitors for Kyle Tucker at this point. All three have recently met with Tucker, either in person or over Zoom, per Duquette. Will Sammon of The Athletic reports today that the Mets are in the range of offering him $120MM to $140MM on a three-year deal. Sammon says the Mets could go higher and that Tucker could make his decision as soon as this week.
At the start of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Tucker for a $400MM guarantee on an 11-year deal. That would be $36.36MM in terms of average annual value, paying him from his age-29 through age-39 seasons. That would be in line with other big deals for star-caliber position players.
In the past decade, eight position players have signed for nine years or longer: Juan Soto, Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Corey Seager, Manny Machado, Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts. Ohtani got a $70MM AAV but with significant deferrals, knocking the net present value closer to the $45MM range. Soto got $51MM and Judge $40MM. The others were in the $25-35MM range.
It’s unknown what the Blue Jays or Dodgers are willing to offer Tucker but he remains unsigned into mid-January, meaning he hasn’t yet received an offer compelling enough for him to have put pen to paper.
In recent years, it’s become a standard move for a free agent with an underwhelming market to pivot to a short-term pact with high AAVs and opt-outs. Alex Bregman, Carlos Correa, Cody Bellinger, Matt Chapman and Pete Alonso have gone down this road in recent years. Everyone in that group apart from Alonso took a three-year deal. Bregman’s was technically for $40MM annually but with deferrals knocking the NPV to the $30MM range. Correa had a $35.1MM AAV, Bellinger $26.7MM and Chapman $18MM. Alonso’s two-year deal had a $27MM AAV.
The plan in that case is to bank a decent amount of money before taking another crack at free agency. The hope would be to then have more luck finding a long-term deal with a better platform season and no longer being tied to qualifying offer penalties. A player can only receive a qualifying offer once in his career. Tucker just rejected a QO from the Cubs and whoever signs him now will be subject to the associated penalties.
This doesn’t always work out but has in many cases. Chapman eventually signed a $151MM extension with the Giants just before returning to free agency. Correa was going to get a $325MM deal from the Giants. Concerns about his physical put the kibosh on that but he still got a $200MM guarantee from the Twins. This winter, Alonso got $155MM from the Orioles. Bregman just got $175MM from the Cubs, though with deferrals knocking the NPV to somewhere in the $150MM range.
There’s also appeal for the team. They have to pay a premium salary and usually forfeit a draft pick or two, and maybe some international bonus pool space as well, but they avoid a long-term commitment. Since players generally decline in productivity as they push through their 30s, it’s understandable for a team to look to avoid length.
Sammon doesn’t mention opt-outs in his piece on the Mets’ offer but that would presumably be a component. From Tucker’s perspective, he’s coming off a couple of seasons undercut by injuries but is still relatively young, going into his age-29 season. A three-year deal with no opt-outs would see him return to free agency ahead of his age-32 season, whereas opt-outs would allow him to try the market again quicker.
Whether he and his representatives have any appetite for that kind of path is unknown. It’s perhaps worth mentioning that the five aforementioned guys who took short-term deals were all Boras Corporation clients. He’s also gone down that road with pitchers such as Blake Snell, Carlos Rodón and Jordan Montgomery. Tucker is not a Boras guy, as he’s represented by Excel Sports Management.
Perhaps Tucker would consider a short-term pact but that also depends what the other offers are. It has been speculated that the Dodgers would also prefer a short-term deal. They could use an outfield upgrade but their roster is one of the older ones in the league and they have a batch of top outfield prospects. Those prospects don’t offer immediate help, as most of them have only recently reached the Double-A level or haven’t even hit that run at all. A short-term deal for Tucker could allow them to upgrade on the grass until those younger guys become more viable big leaguers.
It’s been speculated that the Jays would be more willing to go a long-term deal. They recently signed Kazuma Okamoto but it was reported a week ago that they are still aggressively pursuing Tucker even after landing Okamoto. Toronto has spent aggressively this winter after making it to the World Series in 2025. They gave a nine-figure deal to Dylan Cease, then eight-figure deals to Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers and Okamoto. That has pushed their payroll to new heights but that could be a byproduct of their deep run last year.
They also have a lot of money coming off the books after 2026, as George Springer, Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Yimi García, Daulton Varsho and Eric Lauer are impending free agents. Myles Straw would also depart if his club option is turned down and José Berríos can opt out of his deal. That could prompt the Jays to be doubly aggressive now, while they still have all of that talent on the roster.
Next winter doesn’t really have a Tucker-level talent and is also likely to be disrupted by the lockout. If Tucker were to sign a short-term deal, he could again be the top free agent a year from now but would also throw himself into the lockout winter. A long-term pact would keep him away from whatever disruptions are coming a year from now.
For the Mets, they seemingly prefer to avoid long-term pacts at the moment. Since David Stearns has become president of baseball operations, they made an exception for the 26-year-old Soto but have otherwise not signed any deal longer than three years.
They certainly need help in the outfield though. They traded Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers for Marcus Semien. They currently have Soto in one corner and Tyrone Taylor in center. Prospect Carson Benge could seize an Opening Day job but he can play center. If Tucker were brought in to take one corner with Soto in the other, Benge and Taylor could have a spring battle for the center field gig. If Taylor were to win, Benge could get more Triple-A reps. If Benge were to win, Taylor could become a fourth outfielder.
Financially, there’s no real limit to what they could do. Owner Steve Cohen has shown himself willing to run the Mets up to having the top payroll in the league. They’ve had a fairly modest offseason, defined more by subtraction than addition. They sent out Nimmo and Jeff McNeil while also letting Alonso and Edwin Díaz sign elsewhere.
RosterResource projects them for a payroll of $295MM and a competitive balance tax number of $296MM. Those are big figures but the Mets finished 2025 at $340MM and $337MM in those categories, respectively. Paying Tucker something between $40MM and $47MM annually would get them right back around to last year’s range.
It would also presumably do a lot to quell the fan base, who are currently not thrilled by the familiar faces who have departed in the past few months. It would also prevent them from adding another big salary to the long-term books, as they are already set to pay Soto and Francisco Lindor huge annual sums through 2039 and 2031 respectively.
Photo courtesy of David Banks, Imagn Images
Ah yes, the age old test. Take the money and almost certainly not win anything or take less and potentially contend. Let’s see where he lands.
The question is more about the years in this case. Mets offering a high AAV 3 year deal, other teams will likely offer a 5 year deal. At this stage does Tucker prefer stability or money upfront?
It is what we are seeing this offseason with the looming lockout in 2027 due to a salary cap. A lot of players are taking short term deals with higher AAV because they are uncertain what will happen after the season. Which for Tucker I would be concerned, signing this with the Mets for 3 years… There are a lot of holes IMO on the Mets with pitching, that might be harder to address with a hard cap. It will be hard to say having, Soto, Tucker and Skubal all on the same team and then trying to build around whatever the league will consider the max after that to spend on. I mean, $120M on three players leaves a lot of finagling to do to figure out how to pay the other 37 guys.
Mets have a lot of rookies that should help contribute in the next year or two. McLean, Sproat, Tong on rookie deals, prospects Benge, Williams, AJ Ewing, Jacob
Reimer, Ryan Clifford, Will Watson. They could have a nice mix of veteran all stars and cheap rookies. Also a lot of money is coming off the books with Senga, Peterson, Holmes, Minter, Polanco, within the next year or 2
first to get a cap both sides will have to give in.I would think a cap will be either grandfathered because you can’t make teams trade players under contract or it will be like basketball with the bird rights. You can sign your own players after you reach your max.
You can include baty and alvarez, possibly vientos too. There are a lot of affordable players on their roster and w the prospects coming to balance out the bloated contracts.
It’s fun to pick on the Mets, but their owner is willing to spend. They have some solid young pitchers and will certainly sign or trade for another starter before the season starts. Getting Tucker won’t impede this.
@XX
Not really. Pete, Schwaby, and Alex signed 5 year deals after age 30. Dylan Cease, who isn’t am elite level pitcher, signed for 7 years. Other than Mike King, who’s offers I think we’re me due to health concerns and the two Japanese guys, Murakami and Okamato who I think had suitors somewhat concerned about how their abilities might transfer over, who was expected to get longer deals (5+ years) that hasn’t and settled for less? As for the Mets alleged offer, I think is just talk to appease their fanbase. Do they really think Tucker would accept a 4/$140 deal? Why, so he can hit the market 4 years older and hope to sign in a post new CBA market where their might be a more muted market conditions like a salary cap for teams? I don’t think he will get the 11/$400 this site suggested but I think someone will give him 7/$250 mil or maybe 8/$280 mil as the big dawg in this year’s class.
Hoping Polanco is done already?
@xXTheFETTXx Much more likely there is no baseball in 2027 than there is a salary cap. Players aren’t going to agree to it, and there’s no reason they should. Baseball doesn’t need on.
The Mets are fun to pick on not because they spend…but because they spend and still can’t win!
as a fan i want my team’s GM working to convince the owner to spend as much money as possible. my sense with the mets is that cohen is willing to scorch the earth but stearns has mid-market instincts
@ReyDay.. the dark horse in that scenario would be Christian Scott. If he comes back from surgery dealing like he was pre TJ that would be another name added to a suddenly deep staff.
The Mets are as well positioned with talent as any team…especially the ones chasing Tucker……The Dodgers just buy everyone…..
So, Well which is it….are the marque players going for salary or team or are they that impressed with themselves that they think they can have both….the Mets are prepared from this article to make him a rediculous offer allowing him to hit free agency again when he’s 34…..so these long term demands on players can and should be viewed as pay. me for lack of performance when age and injuries rob them of their offensive contributions……management is wise to the ruse…..
Meant to say he’ll be 31 if he takes a 3 year deal certainly within a window where he can score another prime deal if his offensive skills stay intact….does he bet on himself?
Couldn’t agree more xX The FettxX CBA overtones already staining the offseason BS negotiations. I no Mutts fan but it’s refreshing to see them stirring up Tucker’s situation! Maybe the dominoes will start to fall? Our national past time needs a major shakeup. The business aspect will always exist as will the suckering of the fans who’ll keep it all afloat even if it means leveraging credit cards to continue paying into the whole fiasco -so disgusting.
They are willing to spend but their moves so far this offseason are a real head scratcher
Don’t need a cap but need a floor. People on this site think that the only way to have a floor is to have a cap. I don’t agree with that just have a soft floor where if your under say 80 million you don’t get your 1st round pick or something
I don’t even see Will Watson listed in Mets top 30.
Outfieldflyrule??:
Plenty of teams fall in that category and as recent as two years ago, they made it further than the entire sport other than three teams.
I don’t think a cap is coming. it would first have to come with a floor. a cap of $240 and a floor of $170 would be the minimum needed to keep players pay neutral. I don’t see teams like the pirates, reds, marlins, rays, guardians, agreeing to that floor without a massive increase in revenue sharing, and i don’t see the rich teams agreeing to give a significant part of their money to other teams.
It seems like every time I make a prediction, the player takes a different route. But, here goes. I can’t see Tucker getting less than $350 million from Mets (and probably more). Lindor signed for 10 years at $32 mil/year when he was older than Tucker. Soto signed for 15 years at $51 mil per when he was a year younger. This is Tucker’s age 28 season. $35 mil per for 10 years is well within that range. From Tucker’s perspective, $150 mill for 3 years isn’t “massive” – just the opposite. $350 mil+ guaranteed is $200 mil more – guaranteed! To coin a phrase, that difference is generation changing. Take out a 2027 season for a labor dispute and a 3-year deal adds a lot of risk to Tucker.
As I said, I think that pretty much guarantees a large AAV and short-term contract.
Threed, other than the Japanese players who signed short prove it types of deals, all the other position players have signed for more than this site predicted. The CBA negotiations have not seemed to have any effect.
I am not one of the doomers who believe Manfred’s scare tactics. The last lockout resulted in only the owners losing money.
Baseball saw an increase in attendance, total viewership including streaming (NESN for example had a 400% increase in streaming and a small increase in broadcast viewership), and total revenue in 2025. If the deal with ESPN is consummated revenue will go up more. Teams have sold for more than the estimated value. I don’t see a major shakeup coming.
If you don’t like baseball your remedy is simple.
Why would owners agree to a floor without a ceiling? I agree though penalizing those that spend enough can work but it should be in conjunction with a ceiling. Fans are already priced out of seats that many of us grew up on and it’s getting to the point that tv will also be priced out for many going forward. The insanity needs to stop.
Dodgers NOT getting Tucker as they are already at $380 million payroll and adding Tucker $50 million avv will blow them over $420 million plus 110% on luxury tax that essentially would be a $800+ million contract. NOT happening as Dodgers have limitations as well.
@Rocky
what ruse? it’s called financial security and anyone who doesn’t understand that us likely someone not in position to take advantage of it.
Not all teams want a cap. Some would rather get rid of the CBT and spend as much money as they want.
Keep in mind that professional baseball is a business first – for owners and players. When we say that we’re priced out of games is that really true or just reflects the fact we paid a lot less years ago (I saw my first pro game in 1958 as a Little Leaguer). Same for TV. I’m not positive but I think MLB attendance is very strong. TV must be making money, they sure seem to give healthy contracts. If that’s not accurate, hopefully someone will correct me. According to supply/demand, there’s no reason to control game and tv prices.
We often talk about “baseball” and ‘MLB” as though they are one thing. Why doesn’t baseball have a salary cap or MLB could have a ceiling. But MLB isn’t a single company or business – it’s 30 companies with different cash streams, attendance, tv rights, and most importantly – owners. I’m guessing Pirates ownership looks at these issues differently than many other teams. I don’t believe they all look at winning the same either. I think many teams look at profit/loss the same as we’d look at widgets – not winning championships. I don’t think fans can change that. I’ve been a Yankee fan for years and I think the current Yankee ownership falls more on the widget side than the sport owner fanatic side. Say what you will about George, but I think NY would have more rings if he was immortal.
Anyway, pro baseball is what it is and I don’t see it changing anytime soon.
But what happens if a salary cap is implemented? There’s guys in the league making outrageous money. The cap would have to be so damn high
Tom and Fett, it is a 100% certainty that there will be no salary cap in 2027. MLBPA has set the parameters that would induce them to discuss a hard cap and the owners have shot down all three. You have a better chance of it snowing in Key West than in the MLBPA even talking about a hard cap without those parameters being met.
The most likely thing to happen is the MLBPA to push for a much higher CBT threshold and less harsh penalties. Going into the last CBA the MLBPA had asked initially for CBT thresholds to start at $270 million. That will be a firm floor in this one and unless MLB is willing to give up a major point like FA starting at 3 or 4 years of service time, they will not bend on that point. They also will want spelled out and automatic penalties for not spending 100% of revenue sharing on 40-man player payroll. today nothing is done unless the MLBPA files a grievance. Loss of draft picks and the related slot money has been discussed and seems to have support among the teams that are paying into that pool. MLB already tried to decouple high draft picks from being bad consistently and more needs to be done to force teams to spend at least what they are getting in welfare money from the teams that have high revenue.
Cohens Wallet, Saw Scott in Binghampton in 2023 and thought he was going to be a good one. He sat 96 and had 3 other pitches that tended towards plus at times.
He is probably slated for Syracuse after TJ last year but I could see him being called up at some point. He is really nice depth to have for a team that has been hit hard by pitching injuries.
Tucker is 28 until later this month. The rumors at that the Mets offer is 3/150 with an opt out after the first season. That would make him a FA again at 29, going into his age 30 season.
Rob Manfred has already referred to the lockout as “when” instead of “if.” The only lockout fans are the owners.
As several others have said, Manfred’s statements about a lockout seem more like a scare tactic than reality. The owners lost millions of dollars each the last time they used that as a negotiation tactic while the players lost nothing. Most didn’t get to be billionaires by being stupid and repeating a mistake that costs them money is pretty stupid. Especially since they didn’t gain anything of note from doing so.
Players aren’t paid during a lockout.
1986 is 40 years ago…..
Outfieldflyrule??:
Yes, and they’ve been in the World Series since then. And there’s plenty of teams who haven’t won championships ever.
That’s why there won’t be a hard cap.
The only head scratchers have been not communicating with Diaz that he could still close with Williams 8th and letting him sign with Dodgers for market rate and not a long contract.
And letting Imai sign for a pittance as well.
Alonso is being overpaid by the Orioles, McNeil has been very average for a while, Nimmo has been above average bat, below average everywhere else. Semien was a better player last year based on his defense alone, and Semien has upside. At worst his a 3 WAR gold glover.
The Mets have 2 players signed long term, and they are both MVP candidates (in a league without Ohtani) and the richest owner in baseball, who happens to be a lifelong fan of the team and is willing to invest wisely.
Stearns has been measured, and the farm system is the best in baseball because it’s about to graduate a bunch of supplementary players to those two MVP candidates, and McLean, a potential Ace, capital A.
The Mets were just ranked 4th by ESPN as the most likely to win a WS in the future.
Manfred said that teams lost money in 2022 because of rescheduled games that caused lost TV money and lost local revenue. I am guessing that much of that could be attributed to games being played as doubleheaders out of necessity to get the full 162 played, but also to changed travel plans, and many other costs associated with changing game dates.
Miken …plenty of teams?!! 22 MLB teams have won World Series titles since 1986…that leaves 7 besides the Mets who have not.
Outfieldflyrule??:
Apparently, reading is not fundamental for you. I said there’s plenty of teams besides the Mets, who haven’t won a championship. The Mets have won championships. My point is why wouldn’t you be harping on these teams that have never even won a single championship?
Because there are only five franchises that haven’t won a championship and you will never find those 5 spending $300mm on payroll. Five isn’t exactly ‘plenty’ my friend. Nothing wrong wrong with spending money per say..but spending money foolishly…!?? That’s the issue.
If you watched Tucker play for the Cubs last year, would you offer him anything close to the years and numbers being discussed now? If he’s so much better than average players, that’s a shocking commentary on the decline of major league talent.
Outfieldflyrule??:
Five is certainly enough. And the Mets haven’t been spending $300 million forever. This is just something from the last few years. And they were there NLCS two years ago. So the money was spent foolishly in 2025 but not in 2024? By the way, they also had the best record in baseball in June in 2025. Sometimes things just happen in a season.
limits to the cap for the next 2-3 years are usually you can sign your own guys, and you can sign players for 1 year deals under a negotiated amount, like $5 mill. A cap will come with a floor, likely requiring several teams to need to spend $70 mill or more, so there will be some lucrative contracts if a cap/floor come.
Dodgers are under $360, and a contract for Tucker would likely look like a 5 year $150 thats front loaded (years 1-2 at $50 mill each) with an opt out after either year 1 or 2 or both. this would keep the AAV low, while still giving Tucker a huge chunk of change and a chance to reenter the market after the CBA will still under 30.
Cap comes with a floor, and there would be grandfather rules for the teams over. Something along the lines of you can only resign your own free agents, and you can only offer other players 1 year $5 mill contracts til you get under.
Which of the following deals would you take as Tucker:
1. Mets three years $45 million per year with an out after years one and two
2. Dodgers two years $45 million per year with an opt out after year one
3. Blue Jays or Yankees seven years $40 million per year, no trade clause and no opt outs.
4. Blue Jays or Yankees eight years $40 million per year, without a no trade clause and no opt outs.
I would take a seven or eight year deal.
why would any team offer an opt out, let alone a opt out after 1 year….if offering this type of insane money, teams should demand no opt outs on the players part, or if insisted upon to sign, demand a team opt out should the team fail to compete even with him as a premium talent….
Sometimes the team wants the player to take the opt out. They can sign a guy for 6 years anticipating that they’ll have to pay him a premium for a year or two and hope he stays healthy enough to opt out to avoid the commitment of the full deal
With a shutdown looming and a new CBA deal on the horizon, I think most people would feel more comfortable with locking up years right now. But you also have to think that the big money for the premium players will still be there when the dust settles. Hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube, there. The agents and Union I’m sure have some insight as to how the positioning of the players and owners are going to be better than us, so I could see this going either way. If it’s a 2-year deal for $95M+ with a 3rd year player option of another $40-45M? Tucker would only be 31 hitting free agency again, and even if he did a 7 year deal after at $35M AAV that would still be a $37.2M AAV over 9 years, with an extra year than your hypothetical 8 year, $40M per deal. And option A nets more total money ($340M vs $320M).
May come down to wear Tucker feels most comfortable and/or other factors than money. But I don’t think Toronto or NYY is at the $40M/year level. I’m guessing they are both shy of that, particularly after TOR gave Cease and Okamoto this winter already.
Well duh. Of course he’s taking $320 million guaranteed.
Great idea to go high for 3 year deal. Should offer similar to the same to Bellinger and Trade Williams,Sproat and Baty for Detroit Cy Young award winner. Extend him 110-125 mill 3 years with incentives 35/35/40 perhaps… Let’s go mets #LGM
Skubal will never take a short term extension. He will want $350+ million.
The coming strike will make it difficult. A bird in the hand.
Skubal going to be the first $50 million avv pitcher at the rate these contracts heading
Maybe. Or nine years at $40 million per year, no deferrals and a non-trade clause
They still will need Bellinger in the mix and a trade for Detroit Ace to be dangerous for the next 3 to 5 years. Trading Sproat, Williams and Baty could be a good start as Detroit is gonna lose in arbitration. Maybe mets can negotiate a three year extension on to that arbitration deal he is gonna get.
I don’t think the Tigers even consider that deal for a minute. And if you trade Baty you open a hole at 3B. Not in favor. The Mets have the best pitching program in baseball. Just stay the course. Today it’s McLean and Tong. Tomorrow it’s Will Watson, Wenninger, Santucci.
I get wanting a free agent pitcher but Framber or even Ranger Suarez would be a better allocation of assets.
If you want Skubal, you’re going to have to give up 3 top 10 prospects to start, probably 4 in the top 20, and then pay him a record breaking contract next offseason. Or you can just wait one more year and pay him in free agency. Rather just wait.
I rather compete
No ifs in competing today
He has to go for the long term deal cause the labor agreement lockout will virtually wipe of 2027 when he will have to decide by December 1st to opt in or out and then they go on strike so essentially he will need to opt in and likely not get paid and lose out big $$$ plus another year older going into 2028 season at age 32.
You should take a look at projected WAR for 2026 for teams. Adding Tucker would put the Mets into the top 5. Not sure where “almost certainly not win anything” is coming from, unless you flat out don’t understand baseball.
Dude, it’s the Mets. Who are we kidding here? They’ll be in first place in May and 3rd place in September, at best.
This is the ballclub that canceled their fan festival because they didn’t want a horde descending on Citi Field chanting “LOLmets! LOLmets! LOLmets!”
the fan fest was always an every other year thing and they never cancelled anything. it was simply never planned for this year. everything you’ve said so far is just repeating nonsense you’ve see on twitter.
ChuckyNJ:
You belong on the internet. Fake info everywhere.
@Miken31.. the stupidity will always be there so its all good. The real question to ask is…
Did their favorite team win the world series? If not then just smile 😊
If I was Tucker I’d take that before Cohen sobers up.
None of their SP gambles really paid off last year and they took some attrition and bad luck in the rotation on the guys they were more counting on. If they get a healthy season from McLean and to a lesser extent, Tong, a little bounce back from Manaea and Senga, they can be really good.
I don’t expect the losses of Alonso and Nimmo to significantly impact them. The kids are really good. Baty seemed to unlock something the last couple of months last year and so did Alvarez. Polanco isn’t going to provide the power but he will get more hits. Question is how much does Benge and Semien hit. If one of them has a big year, they will be good. I am really high on Benge, I think he can be a 20-20 guy at least as soon as this year and .800 OPS, and upside for him at his peak is something close to Corbin Carroll, maybe Carroll-lite, but still really good.
the’d be top 5 until the teams they passed sign someone else, and tucker would probably be the last signing for the mets, because he would take their payroll up (with luxery tax) to over $400 mill.
Ah yes, the age old test. Whiny “fans” complaining about athletes getting top dollar or complaining that they didn’t take lowball deals with their favorite team
Genuinely don’t think he’s going to sign with my team, I just laugh watching guys sign places that are a mess and then do the “I came here to win” thing in the media after
bhd360:
“Genuinely don’t think he’s going to sign with my team, I just laugh watching guys sign places that are a mess and then do the “I came here to win” thing in the media after”
First, who is your team? Second people have already tried to educate you here that the Mets are still projected to have a good season. So if you want to keep spewing nonsense, I guess go ahead.
They were projected to win with Verlander and Scherzer too, how’d that work out?
It’s the Mets. They will fail, it’s what they do.
And I’m a Jays fan.
bhd360:
So because things didn’t work out with Scherzer and Verlander, that’s your evidence? What a weak argument. And the Jays have done quite a bit of failing themselves. That last championship is a long long time ago.
Bhd, the Mets had an 82.5 win projection the year Verlander and Scherzer were on the team. I guess that is winning, but not playoff level winning.
They were way to old
The Jays were the mockery of the previous offseason and now look where they are. Also, let’s be honest here both teams have won twice and both times were a long time ago. So I’d say your comparison isn’t far from describing your own team.
Well what else are they supposed to say? “Oh I just came here because they gave me the most money, I don’t really care what happens.” Sure, that’s how you win fans over!
Old fellas
That’s too not to
That’s a fact.
bhd360:
What team is interested in fits in the category of “take the money and almost certainly not win?”
Mets. I don’t make the curses, I just know about them. That franchise is cursed, they aren’t winning.
bhd360:
But they’ve won championships and been in the World Series in other seasons. Do you know how a curse works? And I know you can’t be serious citing a curse. Anyone doing that would have to be a complete moron.
Tuck would be insane not to take it!!!
I think he’d be crazy not to take this offer. With the CBA issue fast approaching nothing is guaranteed, And $50 million per for 3 years, makes him a FA at the age of 31 again. If all goes well and the money keeps increasing for quality FA’s, he could sign 2 more of the same length and more money after losing with the Mets the next 3 seasons..
People might see not taking this bonanza for three years and then after it ends getting another high end contract is he has no faith in himself? Just a different look at it. I’m Not saying either way.
Which of those 3 teams do you believe won’t contend? Two were in the World Series and the third missed the playoffs by a game. All 3 are expected to easily make the playoffs in 2026.
If I’m a GM, that’s a little too rich a number for my liking. I fold. Onto the next hand.
The Mets have an elite farm system with players who are either in the majors, or in AAA.
Pretty sure they’d contend with a trio of Soto, Tucker and Lindor.
And the new starting right fielder for the New York Mutts: Kyle Tucker.
Tucker’s already got a ring. Take the money lol
All 3 of those teams are projected to make the playoffs. Adding Tucker would increase the odds for all of them.
Why be a troll? What do you gain from it?
Well, that offer certainly is within the Mets’ salary range
Obviously the take more money and not win lol. If he wanted to contend he would have signed an extension with the Astros and taken less money to play there and win.
How did the Astros do in the playoffs last year?
They didn’t lose a game.
The era of athletes caring about winning above money is over
when was this ERA again?
What did the Astros win last year?
Tucker on the team probably would have added at least 1 more win and put the 87 Win Tigers out of the post.
Rocker49:
Except the Mets are still projected to have a good season. And Astros are nothing special in comparison, so what do you mean?
How so?!
Lmao he literally went from a team that didn’t make the playoffs last year to a team that did. You’re saying he would have been better off with the team that didn’t?
I mean, they missed the playoffs in a tie with Cincinatti. Fair to say if he did go to the Mets last year he would have been worth at least half a win, no?
Pretty decent chance the Astros squeak in the playoffs with Tucker on the team. They missed the playoffs by a game so pretty razor thin margin of error.
A more impactful addition than Jesus Sanchez at the deadline or acquiring another SP could’ve been the difference.
3 yrs/$120M works for me. Hopefully it does for Tucker too.
So, Tucker started the off season looking for $40 million for ten plus years, and he is settling for just three years at that AAV?
Not sure that works for Tucker.
You may have missed a zero there my friend.
$40M for 10 years = $400M
The media tossed around those early off season numbers. Not Tucker’s camp.
Yeah, also, you don’t start a negotiation with the minimum acceptable deal. And Boras is a good negotiator. Everyone involved knows that Tucker will sign for less than a $40M AAV on a 10-year deal. Aaron Judge has a $40M AAV deal, I don’t think Tucker is getting Judge money. I can see him in the $35M range on a long-term. And I don’t believe this $50M AAV reporting on a short-term deal. I really question the veracity of this report, which may just be a tactic by Boras’ camp to try to get the Blue Jays or Dodgers to up their offer.
The bar is no longer Judge, it’s Soto. You also have to take into account Judge’s age when he signed it. If he was 2-3 years younger that AAV would have been higher and the number of years would have been longer.
He’s not a Boras client.
Nimmo with a better glove and less walks.
This ^^^
For him to be tempted it would prob have to be 3/140
Ma, Looks like its 3/150 with an opt out after the 1st year.
I agree, he’ll visit for a 3 game set when the Jays roll in next year
No chance he takes 3/120 but 3/140 yes
No chance he takes 140 if the Jays have a 300+ offer on the table, which it sounds like they do.
Brian, wake up … Mr. Cashman Casey Close is on the phone…he wants to talk! I repeat, Brian Cashman are you awake?
I know his wife has a lot of courage even though nicole kidman was too tall to play her.
He’s still on the phone with Boras.
Lindor
Soto
Tucker
Looks nice to me.
Too many lefties.
Lindor bats from both sides.
But a much better left handed bat. Mets won’t compete for a playoff spot with so many key departures and the pitching is nowhere near strong enough either unless the rookies start out of the gate on fire which I doubt. Tong showed that he’s not quite ready and I bet teams will start getting a good book on both McLean and Sproat before long.
Mets will win between 76-82 games.
He hits lefties well
Try that again.
Tucker replaces another lhb that they traded away, Nimmo. Since 75% of pitchers are righties, that is the correct side of the platoon to be heavy in.
My only concern is Tucker gets hurt a lot. He’s better than Pete, but at least Alonso posted in all 162. I think we’d need Tucker and another veteran bat to step in when he gets hurt, preferably a righty,
Don’t be concerned. Tucker’s not coming to Flushing.
yeah, this is where LA hops in and makes it an easy decision
Are you his mom?
Bivouac-Sal:
You seemingly don’t want it to happen, but you have actually no idea what will happen.
What will be will be. No one knows but Tucker,My “want” is not a factor.
Bivouac-Sal:
But you’re stating it as though you have some sort of insight into this one that he’s not “coming to flushing”. So as you say, what will be will be, but the Mets seemingly have as good as chance as anyone right now because they’re going with a high AAV.
Toronto says otherwise. Just an opinion.
Bivouac-Sal:
Oh, really? What do you have to substantiate the Toronto’s offering the highest AAV? The Mets are reportedly at 50 million a year and you’re trying to say that the Blue Jays are offering more?
Right now, I think the order of likelihood is Toronto 40%, Mets 25%, Dodgers 25%, Yankees 8%, Phillies 1%, Angels 1%.
If Toronto offers seven years at $40 million per year, that should get it done. With a NTC and no opt-outs.
Yankees will still get Belli at $32 million per year, 5 years, NTC, and some opt-outs.
Mets will then sign Ranger or Framber.
Bivouac-Sal:
You’re only bothered because you have nothing to respond with. Half baked opinions. You’re entitled to them, but wouldn’t it be a whole lot nicer if you had something to substantiate these opinions of yours with?
High AAV means jack in and of itself. Of course the AAV is gonna be higher on a 3-year deal compared to a 9-year deal that pays a guy into his late 30s. A higher AAV for those prime years is baked into the long-term contract by overpaying for the decline years.
There would have to be a massive discrepancy in the value of the offers for any player to take a 3-year deal over one that is 9-10 years.
stormie:
Well first we don’t know exactly what he’s being offered by Toronto. So high AAV can mean something. Especially if he is very productive during this contract. And within that is an opt out so he can go back on the market after grabbing $50 million for one season and bet on himself. And if high AAV doesn’t mean anything why hasn’t he signed a long-term contract yet?
Brocness
You mispelled “Toronto” 😉
What I said was Tucker was not going to Flushing. Thought it would be Toronto, but I am thrilled it’s the World Champs.
Bivouac-Sal:
And once we come back from the lockout, I have no idea what they’re going to do with that payroll situation. But hey, they’re going for one more World Series so why not.
Best of luck to the Mets. Hope we meet in the NLCS.
Bivouac-Sal:
We? Are you getting a paycheck with the team?
You can always find a way to be a contentious **** can’t you?
Bivouac-Sal:
I’m as contentious as you are passive aggressive… Can we agree on that?
I offer an olive branch in the form of “good luck and I hope we (meaning your team and my team) meet in the playoffs” and I’m being passive aggressive?
You are merely aggressive. Must be hard being such an angry guy. There’s some passive aggression for you. Knock yourself out.
Bivouac-Sal:
I’m having some fun with you. Yes I’m needling you, but it’s never personal. I don’t even know you. But let me leave you with this, a passive aggressive person never admits they are passive aggressive. If you reviewed some of your comments, perhaps maybe you would see where I might be coming from in calling you that. And if you don’t care, that’s fine too. I wish you good luck too. If I met you I would have a drink with you and BS with you. It’s all a good fun when we’re talking about sports. It’s busting balls.
Miken
That I can agree with. Finally. Enjoy your day.
Bivouac-Sal:
You as well.
“Tucker gets hurt a lot” feels like an inaccurate representation.
He had 2 hairline fractures sustained from trauma, not exactly “injury prone” like with strains and sprains just from moving like Ketel Marte.
Fair
And not too much behind them, can’t win with 3 good bats lol, they need a right handed power bat and that’s not really Vientos or Alvarez, I’d rather have Bellinger, offensively they’re similar but Bellinger is better defensively plus can play all 3 OF spots and 1b
It can def be alvarez and vientos… and polanco as well
Bellinger isn’t nearly as good. Don’t count them out for both.
Also, they don’t have “two good bats” without Tucker/ Bellinger. They have two Hall of Fame Bats and several good bats., Alvarez, Polanco and Baty are all good bats. Vientos and Semien can be good too.
Ben K: Why stop there? Let’s go Mets #LGM
Lindor ss
Soto rf
Bellinger cf/1b/dh
Polanco 1b/dh
Tucker lf
Semien/Acuna 2b/ss/3b
Mauricio/Vientos 3b/dh
Alvarez/ Torrens c
Morabito/Benge/Marte/Taylor ~ outfield backups
Trade Sproat,Williams,Baty and 1 other lower level prospect for Skubal – offer extension in summer.
Skubal
McLean
Peterson
Holmes
Manaea
Senga
Tong and Scott begin in AAA
How are you acquiring Skubal without including Tong, Sproat or McLean?? Gonna take at least two of those guys going back to Detroit.
McLean, Benge and Vientos for one year of Skubal would be about right. I don’t see a deal happening with Tigers and Mets.
But are they including a suite for his family?
That’s still one of the most ridiculous contract holdups I’ve heard of
@Oppo — I hope Juan had a close friend that told him as much.
“Wait, they were going to give three-quarters of a billi and you balked because of a space for your family to eat Totino’s at the stadium…?”
I mean it was dumb for both sides
@yankees it was a rumor that made it into articles, but I had thought it was about paying for hotels for his family when the team traveled so what do I know…
@yankees — the amounts were so close, with NYM beating them by less years and 5M more (and a suite) that it’s an interesting note, but pure speculation. If spitting hairs, you’d think Soto’s 2024 numbers in NYY would whet his appetite to return and possibly have better offensive numbers (with Judge, in NYY, etc.), but again, it’s speculation and just bulletin board fodder. Anything to stoke the crosstown rivalry between lil and big bros.
Correct, a rumor. But unfortunately there’s a fair number of people who like repeating rumors.
Judge and soto both play right field. I think this was an important factor.
Soto doesn’t really “play” right field; he just kind of hangs out there between at-bats. His bat is good enough that he could “hang out” in LF too. It simply came down to Cohen offering more money.
and don’t forget the Mets also chipped in a monthly clothing allowance for Juan’s Mom…
Very funny…not.
If that is as long of a term they are willing to go then how can he not be a Blue Jay. He can with the lower annual salary it’s way more guaranteed money assuming they are getting close to beyond $300M.
This probably helps Cashman negotiate a contract with Boras for Bellinger.
That’s inevitable.
Don’t think Boras hasn’t considered that too.
Only way Tucker takes that deal is with an opt-out every year.
That’s a guarantee
Opt out at All-Star Break
46M a year is pretty dang good. He could hit the market again at 31 with a chance to double up and end up with a 300M 6 year contract,
Kermit that’s hilarious
It’s good business.
Nobody is going to pay him $50MM annually for his age 31-37 seasons.
You missed my point. He can get another deal like this at 31 for 50M. That takes him through his age 33 season and makes him 300M over six years in total (including this one). Then, he can still sign a third deal for 33 through 35 etc for whatever market value is. The market will keep going up and it insures him being paid like his peers through his 30s. If he wants to bet on himself, he’ll make WAY more money taking three year deals.
Misunderstood. Definitely a gamble though. Would be banking on the Mets, Yankees, or Dodgers 3 years from now.
Not sure we’re going to see any other clubs make those kinds of deals
Salaries escalate if he ages well and performs he could easily get another deal of 3 to 5 years. 50 mil is a bird in hand with great incentive to have a good run with the Mets. Makes sense
The new salary cap in mlb will end that nonsense as I predict the owners are successful and bust the union. There is no way mlb survives at the rate salaries increasing.
Anthony, revenue in baseball is going up every year. Shouldn’t player salaries go up with it? Or do you just want owners to pocket more money?
Dodgers are licking their chops if this is the highest offer
Dodgers are at three years $140 million….
$25 million dollar signing bonus up front. .
$25 million salary in 2026
$40 million salary in 2027
Opt out option after 2027
$50 million in 2028 if he sticks around and opts in.
With the luxury tax, they’re going to pay him 80M in ’27 and 100M for one year in ’28 when they don’t even have a real need for him?
Are they going to pay Tucker close to 50M a year?
I think he is not getting the 10 yr deal he wanted. He needed to have a better platform season and not disappear in the playoffs.
If that dude had even the tiniest amount of competitive fire in him he would’ve gone down as an all timer and this offer wouldn’t be worthy of a post. It’s really hard to be a big fan of his because he’s just so apathetic all the time. Maybe I’m just biased and sad the Astros didn’t want to pay him.
No athlete is as competitive as fans want them to be. One of the great myths of professional sports.
I don’t think your generic comment does the Tucker Experience justice but you’re not wrong categorically. Tucker truly takes apathy to a rarified level however. It’s just his personality and there’s no thing inherently wrong with that. If he had that fire though 300M wouldn’t be a question and this post wouldn’t make sense. Both can be true.
People used to say Manny didn’t care either. He certainly didn’t care about that and just kept on being one of the best hitters of his generation.
I’ll take a guy’s production over his demeanor any day.
You lost me when you suggest Tucker is like Manny. They couldn’t be more opposed. And the whole reason we’re talking personality is because his production isn’t getting the type of offer it should. It’s certainly a factor GMs are considering but I suppose us Houston fan’s are always smarter than our front office. See our hate for Caley, Caserio and Demeco for 90% of the season.
“Tucker truly takes apathy to a rarified level.” Your words, bud. Not mine. So you apparently can make it sound like he cares less than anyone, but if I bring up Manny, a player people thought didn’t care; “They couldn’t be more opposed.” Sure.
Aloof /= apathetic. Theyre very different just as Tucker and Manny are. Nice attempt at a gotcha tho.
So hes giving you rendon vibes. I could see that. For me, he feels like jason heyward- 5 tool player that stat geeks loved but wilted under the pressure of being the man.
His postseason numbers support your theory as that was the only time the Astros really NEEDED him to play to his talent. I don’t expect him to just homer into the bushes like Rendon but similar vibes for sure.
No problem Mets fans. All you have to do is contend with the offers from the Jays and Dodgers.
Neither team is giving him close to 50M a year
Not the point. All things being equal he goes to Toronto or LA before Flushing.
LA for sure, but Toronto I’m not so sure. They made the WS last year and earned it, but they’re not some juggernaut or anything. Not everyone is motivated to play in another country. The Mets’ future looks promising .
Regarding the Jays: It’s not whether they are a juggernaut, it’s the potential for a longer term deal from them.
Not a juggernaut? I beg to differ.
All things are not equal. That is the point.
That’s not going to get it done. If it’s a short term deal than he’s a Dodger
Jays are just waiting for final offer range to become transparent and they’ll top whatever it is. Makes no sense for them to jump on it now because they would be bidding against themselves. I predicted seven years from the Jays for Tucker, but I might have to amend that to five. I still don’t think anyone’s getting him for three no matter what the money.
It’s part $$$ and part ego/ respect for Tucker & Co and I don’t think three years does it.
This might be a PR offer to calm down an already angry Mets fan base/ media knowing he’ll turn it down. The “ at least we tried” move will always buy you a little goodwill.
That was the Wilpon’s go to message
A 5 year deal doesn’t make sense for Tucker – unless he plans to retire early. Instead of being 31 and on the market again he’d be 33 and less able to go much beyond 4 years to follow. He’s not Schwarber – his value is more dependent on his more rounded game skills.
@Mark66 After Stearns’ offseason to date “at least we tried” will only be another X in the “and failed” column.
That’s HUGE money, but we all know how that goes.
How about you show up and play and you get your daily pay. Otherwise, you get nothing!
I feel like this bodes well for the Blue Jays’ chances of signing him if their main competitors are only offering 3-year deals.
I mean, would you rather have $140m (~45m AAV) over 3 years or $175m over 5 (35m AAV)
For the Blue Jays, who are at the 110% tax window means they will be paying out 94.5M (45M to Tucker and 49.5M in tax) for the first year and depending on the contract length and the payroll each year it could be the same.
@Darthyen People always get the luxury tax computation wrong.
Spread out the tax on every player. What % of the team’s payroll is the player’s salary? Then use that % as the % of the LT penalty attributable to the player.
$175m/5 is what Bregman got, Tucker is getting way more than that. I can see the Jays offering something like $240m/6 or $300m/8.
140 over three bc he could hit the market again at 31 and get another lucrative deal, where that’s less likely at 33.
The Jays just gave 7/210 to Dylan Cease, and you think their best offer to Tucker will be 5/175? They will offer him 300 minimum, probably over 9 years. They’re reportedly even willing to go 10 years, which would likely take at least 325.
And i would still take 4/200 if thats the met offer bc he’ll have 5-6 more years to earn 100-125m which shouldnt be tough
I do not understand why Giants, Yankees and Cubs are not on this list of suitors; particularly on these terms being reported here. There is no question Blue Jays and Dodgers would match this 3 year Mets proposal cited by Sammon.
That’s a LOT of money. I’m shocked he hasn’t already signed if that’s on the table.
Phillies better jump into his if they are 3 for 150
Expect that number to go up among the suitors. Wild times
Unlikely a 3 year deal will get it done
In other words, the Mets are not in the running. A 3 year deal is a nonstarter.
The Jays are not paying 40 million plus a year for Tucker. I’ve never believed they were in the market for him. Lots of reports which is all they are. The Jays have had a great off season a lot better than past ones. Good for the Mets if they can get Tucker for that kind of deal.
They won’t have to over a long enough deal. I think 35-37.5 x 8-10 years gets it done.
$40M-$50M annually? Are we sure he’s that good? My god.
He’s not, but next year’s FA class is far worse.
True. Gotta think ahead sometimes.
We can be pretty sure he *won’t* be that good.
Tucker’s never had even one 5 fWAR season, and if this year’s number is $10m per 1 WAR, the most you can reasonably hope for is that you break even.
All 3 teams mentioned are in the payroll range where they will be paying 110% tax on whatever they would pay Tucker…plus with a new CBA coming and who knows what further penalties…is he worth $80mm+ per year???? Teams seem a bit more hesitant on longer term deals with labor uncertainty.
To be fair, it’s the teams total payroll not just Tuckers salary that constitutes the tax penalty. Yeah he’d push them way over but it’s a shared burden.
This isn’t ‘fair’ it’s simply misguided. Their choice now is whether to sign Tucker, not whether to pay the rest of their team. That decision carries a cost factor and the marginal difference is calculated on the additional salary, not on the money already spent. Otherwise the Santander deal would look even worse, if that were possible.
No way on earth Tucker takes that
Bregman-esque pillow contract?
So the Mets are the stalking horse for the other clubs.
“Missed it by that much”
I think only way he takes less then 5 years js w plenty of opt outs
It sounds like Tucker may give the Bregman Sox deal a go and hope for a rebound season and monster contract thereafter.
Good luck to Belli getting 6 or 7 years if the superior FA settles for a show me contract.
Are TV deals really supporting these insane contracts? Or are a few owners happy with shelling out the cash for their own entertainment (which is fine)? There’s got to be a bubble somewhere
Dodgers gross revenue estimate for 2024 was A BILLION BUCKS. 2025’s NET revenue after revenue sharing was 855 million according to Sportico. They grossed over 350 Million in ticket sales alone in 2025.
Forbes had the Dodgers at $752 million in revenue for 2025 with a small operating profit. Seems believable to me but I’m not their accountant.
The Mets took a bath in 2025 by all estimates. A quarter-billion operating loss for the year according to Forbes. Cohen runs that team for fun and publicity despite a slight nod toward fiscal sanity this offseason, as the linked article notes.
sports.yahoo.com/articles/dodgers-became-first-mlb…
Nobody really knows the top-line and bottom-line numbers because, except for the Braves, there’s no public reporting. But a billion in revenue looks high to me even with the Dodgers’ local TV contract and perpetual sell-outs.
Anyway, nobody disputes that the Mets burn money like waste paper. Cohen can afford it.
Granted
The Mets books are closed and that doesn’t begin to account for the team’s increased valuation, but sure, I believe Forbes.
Casey, Braves and Blue Jays are both owned by publicly traded companies.
The Atlanta Braves are an actual publicly traded company. The Blue Jays are just a subsidiary of a much larger publicly traded company and Rogers does not break down Jays-specific financial results in its reports, they are grouped together with Rogers’ other media assets.
Every time a franchise gets sold it gets sold for at least a billion dollars more than the last guy paid for it. They’re all doing fine. They didn’t get to be insanely rich by not knowing how to balance a check book.
True. Guggenheim bought the Dodgers for $2 billion in 2012 and now Forbes has them worth $6.9 (nice) billion. Imagine they may sell at a premium if they were on the market during the Ohtani years.
Perhaps we are splitting billions of hairs but Sportico, in its 2025 valuation of MLB franchises released March 25 estimated the Yankees at $8.39 billion and the Dodgers at $7.73 billion, including their real estate holdings and other businesses. Note that was prior to the tidy profit in 2025..
The Jay’s made over $100 million from their playoff run.
Where did you get the number from? I thought Rogers made 10x that between insane ticket prices and television rights throughout the playoffs. They also own the stadium so there is all that revenue as well.
That was reported the other day. You think they made a billion dollars in 18 games lol.
Rogers has made that much off my cell bill over the past year…
For those that are wondering why the Yankees wouldn’t be in on this, it’s because this is essentially paying like $80mm/year for Tucker because of where they are in the LT.
Jays, Dodgers and Mets all high LT payers.
Yes, but those teams aren’t being run by Hal Steinbrenner and his shallow pocketbook.
@Brian
Yeah because paying $400 mil after taxes isn’t good enough when you can put even more of your profits back in the team and make your investors happy by making nothing. I mean u want the Yanks to improve too but in but going to call them cheap because they “only” want to take on $200 mil plus years and not $400 every year
Yes, but seemingly the Yankees care?
The Bronx Bombers are fiscally responsible compared to the ballclub on the other side of the Triborough Bridge.
ChuckyNJ:
Well, their owner only cares about profits so that’s why.
Little Stevie Moneybags is really desperate for a playoff team, isn’t he.
andyger63:
No, he just cares about winning. More owners should be that way.
So no shot
Let’s go Mets. Get it done.
they’re only off by about 7 years and $300mil 🤣🤣
With Tucker, the Mets instantly jump to being the 2nd best team in baseball. Soto/Lindor/Tucker is insane!
Not nearly enough.
Maybe the 2nd best 1-2-3 in the lineup. But 2nd beat team in baseball?
The rest of the line up is meh- not terrible, but not world beaters (but, with some upside).
The rotation looks an awful lot like last year’s. Which isnt good enough.
The bullpen nominally looks worse (although, given the volatility of relievers, maybe not that worse).
Current roster plus Tucker looks to me like a mid 80s win team- far from 2nd best.
jakec77:
What you’re not considering is that McLean, Sproat, and Tong will have a chance to play a much bigger role this year than last year. Especially, McLean, who looks like a top of the rotation starter. Not to mention that it’s very likely they’re still going to add another good to very good starting pitcher. And keep in mind with the bullpen, going into last season Devin Williams was considered a better closer than Edwin Diaz. Go look at some projections because they don’t agree with you.
Um, no. Pitching a major concern.
Yeah heard this earlier, interesting if they can land him with this high AAV deal. I’d say it’s definitely possible.
Dream on.
Hey I’m not a Mets fan so not dreaming of anything here, lol but it depends on if he’s got takers otherwise. I’m just saying it’s in the realm of possibility because of the highest AAV.
My point has been regardless of the Mets reported offer, the Jays and Dodgers would stand to have a better chance at signing Tucker. The Jays if they offer a longer term deal, the Dodgers if, well, they’re the Dodgers.
Well sure, but when there’s an actual offer out, which seemingly there is, it’s hard to say that there isn’t a shot or that these other teams have better chance when there’s no reports of offers from those camps.
Now that’s a sentence! lol
Both the Jays and Dodgers tend to keep their mouths shut until a deal is done.
Still doesn’t mean they’re offering 50 mil a year though! The dude is young enough to bank 100 million for two years then go out on the market again.
If true, 50 mill/yr is quite a statement.
There you go, Sally, Jays in it to win it.
a foregone conclusion they’d make this play.
Let’s assume Tucker’s 5 year market is $170Mn Let’s say the Mets offer $130 for 3 years. Including the present value of money (say circa $10Mn), his breakeven for 2 year comp 3 years from now is $30Mn as he enters age 32/33 year old.
Quite attractive, IMO.
#LFGM
That’s the temptation of a short term offer, but the risk is he blows out his knee or declines or the market changes (TV rights, etc) or the new CBA caps spending or or any of a dozen other things, which is why most players go for the top overall dollar.
If Tucker’s market was only 5/170, the Mets would be happy to just give him that. The top end of his market is way more than 5 years and way more than $170 million.
NYM has a pretty good RF. Will Tucker change positions when he can get the same $$$ elsewhere? I think not.
In the unlikely event that the Mets land Tucker Soto moves to LF. Not Tucker.
Bivouac-Sal:
It’s obvious you don’t want him to go to the Mets, but you have absolutely no insight into where he’s going. I mean none whatsoever.
Mets are in talks, but I don’t think the Blue Jays and Dodgers are stopping.
So they basically are saying you can go play for dodgers or jays
Why would he go to the Mets and not LAD for the same terms? 🤔
At least he will wn a title in LA.
I would be shocked if the Dodgers gave him a $50M a year offer. The Dodgers only pay that type of money if it’s a star on and off the field. Kyle Tucker could walk down Sunset right now and not be noticed.
That’s’ a really good question.
Strike looming, i would take the long term deal while its there
Exactly, a $150M deal could end up as only $100M guaranteed
Would be a lockout, not a strike.
I’m contrarian on the lockout talk. I think the owners will get a new CBA the same way they did last time, by showering the grunts with money. Raise the minimum salary big time and raise the performance pool for early-career players. There are a lot more votes from grunts than from elite players.
But we’ll see. I also think that most clubs really don’t want a salary cap/floor. They like the current luxury tax system with all that lovely money from the Dodgers and Mets of the world. So I look for a similar CBA to what we have now, only with even higher tax percentages.
Problem with tax changes is that nearly 1/3 of teams are at or close to the current tax line. That a significant voting block that can block any plan.
Think it more likely that tax thresholds rise and revenue sharing increases, with a floor or “poverty tax” reducing RS take for low spenders so teams don’t fund others rebuilds w/o some financial consequences, or owners just sitting on their RS cash. Fewer very low spenders than larger ones now.
A strike can’t happen unless the 2027 season starts without a new CBA. The owners would have to lockout the players. That is an entirely different thing. Also, players don’t get paid during a lockout so no benefit from taking the long term deal.
If they want to tempt Tucker on a short te deal, my guess is they gotta get to 3 yrs $150 mil
Well yeah Tucker should just take 3 year deal with opt outs and 35-40 AAV.
Take their money dude.
He’s looking for 7-10 years. So offer 3.
This guy is 28, why would you not be willing to go to 5 years?
AAV
He can still get a 7 year deal after this contract
Get real man, no one is giving him 7 years starting at age 31, when apparently he’s struggling to even get legit long-term offers now at 28. There’s not enough prime/upside left by then to justify that kind of long-term commitment. He takes the big contract now or chases that money for the rest of his career.
Weekly opt outs!
Next year has to be a consideration. Unknown changes for free agents is a possibility. If he is risk averse, he will want to take the longest deal possible.
If he refuses that, move on and fill multiple spots with the money…Bassitt, Hays, Lowe.
If it has opt outs, I would hope it came after year two or the Mets will have so few draft picks and pool money it’s redonkulus…
Quite the inspiring trio there.
I love Bassit for the Mets. Not sure why it hasnt already happened. He’s not the most exciting pitcher, but he absorbs innings and has proved he can play here.
Stearns wouldn’t add Quintana at around $1/4m even after Manaea and Montas went out for months as of February 2025.
Who knows what goes on in that pea brain?
“but he remains unsigned into mid-January, meaning he hasn’t yet received an offer compelling enough for him to have put pen to paper.”
Is this a real sentence?
Yes.
That is an insane amount of money for Tucker!!!
It’s less than half of what people predicted. Short term deals are almost never bad ones.
Let the Mets sign away..don’t matter, they arent winning anything except for best record in April,maybe.
If the Yankees sign Cody Bellinger to a 6 year deal and Kyle Tucker signs for only 3 I will lose my ******* mind
I guess players have a different mindset but I can’t see how you just don’t take 140 million, work as a baseball player for the next three years, and then just walk away and retire with enough money to last the rest of your life
Greed.
Or maybe the players want to keep playing until their body breaks down.
This is insane. Tucker is a good player. Maybe even a great player. But certainly not worth $50M aav. Come on.
Can they do an 8 year $50 mil a year deal with 10 additional years $1Mill a year player opt outs? This makes $410 million spread out over 18 years. That’s only $22.78 mill annually.
Cohen – “get him”
Stearns – “Engage the Bonilla Protocols”
50mil whether for 1,2 or 3 years is absurd for Tucker.
He is very good but cmon
Have you seen the free agents over the next few years
Get them now otherwise you’re not getting much via free agency until about 2030
Yeah it’s pretty absurd really.
In Tuckers case he is very good but not elite. Just because he is the best free agent this go around doesn’t mean it should come with a potential price tag 15million over where it should be.
This is the result of contracts over the last 5-10yrs. Thinking Stanton, Chris Davis, Rendon etc
A part of me also thinks cohen sets the salary precedents so he has even fewer teams to compete with for other players in the future
For instance, if Soto gets 50 per year, anyone comparable will want roughly 50 million per year and how many teams besides the Mets are willing to do that
Bring on the salary cap!
Absolutely!
Your pretentious attitude is exactly why so many people can’t stand Yankees fans. I hope there’s a salary cap just to upset you.
or a cap on the profits.
Why are we overpaying for a Nimmo clone? He is not worth anything near that
Four years younger than Nimmo, and any of his WAR totals from the last five years exceed anything Nimmo has put up since 2022. You’re not even trying, bro.
@rct Tucker misses 30% of the season every year. His WAR is useless
This is not correct.
Since 2020 (58/60)
140, 150, 157
78 due to injury.
136
FYI: 30% missed of the season is 112 games.
@Jdawfinsc take an average of the past 3 years
Ridiculous ,50 million a year for an ok player.
He’s easily a top-30 player in baseball
@David White
At 4 fWAR in 2024-2025 he’s clearly not close to a top 30 player in baseball.
You’re utterly wrong, because he’s literally top 30 (27th) in fWAR the last two years, despite missing over 100 games. Scaled to 162 games, he generated about 6.6 fWAR, which would put him 7th in MLB behind only Judge, Witt, Ohtani, Raleigh, Soto, and Lindor.
Needless to say, your take is beyond foolish.
$140M spend for Mets is a $298M spend. That’s because of their CBT Repeater Status and being over $304M spending threshold
Plus Tucker had a Qualifying Offer that translates into another cost “impact” of $10M-$15M. So all in spend by Mets for such a deal would be about $310M..for Tucker to play for them for 3yrs. Casey Close , Excel Sports Management- Tucker’s agency has never done a “pillow” or high AAV short term contract. Aside from the financials and deal structure- this should be a go!
@statyllus MLBTR should run a basic primer on calculating LT penalties for players.
There have to be opt-outs every year in the Mets’ reported 3/150 proposal. Tucker can easily get a MUCH bigger overall guarantee elsewhere, probably with some opt-outs. I can see Toronto proposing something like 7/320 with a couple opt-outs along the way.
So 155 million,approximately, gets you 5 years of Pete or 3 years of Tucker (with no drums). I’d take Pete.
Tucker is twice the player Alonso is, and quite a lot younger too.
@LGM!
You’re not signing Alonso’s 2025 season. You’re signing his 2026-2030 projections, including the verifiable fact that he’s the worst defensive 1Bman in MLB.
Worst 2% by OAA
Worst 8% by FRV
Worst 5% by Arm
Worst 8% by sprint speed
Worst 4% for baserunning
I somehow doubt the $150/3 report. Not as credible sources.
$120 to 140 is crazy enough. Especially since it will contain opt outs and a loss of picks and pool money.
Poor allocation of resources unless Cohen has said, “go ahead Stearns…and go into the season with the idea that the starters will return to the mean, and that players like Benge, McLean, Sproat, Baty and Vientos will develop further.
For the Mets, Jays and Dodgers, $50m costs $105m per year…
The guy who has played 214 games combined the last two seasons. And some said the Cubs overpaid Bregman.
Bizarre complaint when he has played 136 games or more in 4 of the last 5 seasons. And in the season he didn’t, he put up 4+ WAR in 78 games.
CC Ryder: It was from fractures due to being hit by pitches. How exactly does that make him an injury risk?
Jays will beat any offer but but won’t bid against themselves so they’ll wait and see what the other offers are and beat it. Also, doesn’t seem to be any other team out there willing to offer him over three years, which I am sure Toronto is. It’s an inevitable.Tucker becomes aIt’s an inevitable that becomes a Blue Jay.
Mark66:
Were you in the boardroom when they said they would beat any offer? Just wondering how you would have this insight.
I have a sense that $50M AAV will be as far as the Mets may go. Politically, I don’t think they want to exceed what Soto is making.
If three years don’t suit Tucker I think the Mets would go four up to maybe $175M or so. I doubt the Dodgers will beat the Mets in terms of AAV but if LA is close Tucker may prefer them.
Of course, neither will come near what Toronto will do on term, so if Tucker wants to maximize the bottom-line total, he’ll sign there, maybe $350M over 9.
Why would Soto care about $50 AAV for three or four years? Soto got $51 million AAV for FIFTEEN years. And besides, the way Soto’s contract is structured, he’ll be earning an average of $61 million overr the next four years.
kIL Tucker
dudes always banged up. Do it, Mets!!
$50 mil? Holy crap!!! That will handcuff the Mets finances for years.
Cohen has no financial handcuffs. He burns money on the Mets every year. And it’s supposedly a three-year offer, so he wouldn’t be signing the Mets away for a Soto-ish everlasting deal.
There’s a lot more overall money available elsewhere for Tucker at a slightly lower AAV. Nobody’s said anything about opt-outs in the reported Mets offer. But I assume they have to be there to even tempt Tucker on just a $150 million overall guarantee.
Cohen’s financial firm peeled off $1.8 billion in fines ($2.5 billion in 2025 dollars) in 2013 like it was nothing. Cohen ain’t sweating $50 million.
Forbes puts Cohen’s net worth at $23 billion with a “b”. So 50 million here, 50 million there, no biggie. OTOH, it is supposedly just a three-year offer. So maybe a tiny bit of fiscal sanity is starting to creep into Metsworld. That would be one less endless deal hanging over the club if Cohen ever decides to sell.
I still think Tucker goes for the biggest overall offer, as long as he gets a few opt-outs along the way. But I’m not his agent.
“So maybe a tiny bit of fiscal sanity is starting to creep into Metsworld.”
I think you’re right and it’s a big reason why they don’t have Nimmo, Alonso, and McNeil on the team right now, and why they haven’t handed out any long term deals this offseason. You need to get cheap production from somewhere, and they’re relying on the kids to do it this year.
You don’t bring in a gm with the history of Stearns to spend your way to the top. You would bring in Dombrowski
Some have said that Tucker may not want to play in New York. If he does, the Mets are a good place. Otherwise, the Yankees have to get involved. They really can’t let him go to Toronto and besides, he’s a better option than Bellinger, younger and an overall better player.
With the Yankees having made a $40 million AAV for five years proposal to Bellinger, it doesn’t seem that $50 million for three years gets close to what it will take for Tucker. The Yankees would (should) sign up in a heart beat for five years/$200 million for Tucker.
No,I hope the Yanks stay away from him….he’s way over rated.
I think if Tucker signs a short term contract it would make more sense for him to sign with the Dodgers. I believe he signs a longer term contract with the Blue Jays.
If he’s shooting for money and getting back out onto the FA market quickly, it makes sense for him to sign with whoever offers the most money in the short term, plus negotiating for an opt out after the first year. Mets did this last year with Pete.
I dont really get why teams are handing out deals structured this way.
If the player does well, he opts out after a year, and now the team forfeited draft choices just to get the player for a single year (at a high salary).
And, if the player is terrible, or gets injured, the team is on the hook for the full contract.
I could see it if the deals with the opt outs were heavily backloaded- so, for example, instead of a straight 40 mil per for 3 year deal with opt outs, the deal is structured as 20 mil first year, 40 mil the 2nd, and 60 mil for the 3rd. This way, if the player ultimately opts out, the team got one year at a salary well below the players value.
We have no idea if there are opt outs. At that high of an AAV, this might be a straight 3 year deal, which would make a lot of sense.
I’m speculating about whether a hypothetical Mets offer includes opt outs, but it seems a reasonable possibility.
But my point was more to the general trend. If Boston could go back a year, knowing what they know, do they still sign Bregman and take the QO hit?
Insurance and talent coming in. After the strike they will be the best deals. It is the Trend
@jakec77 Player opt outs are given in lieu of money. Since they have a $$$ value, they’re given out so the team doesn’t have to pay the player as much money as they would if they weren’t offering opt outs, where opt outs are specifically the opportunity for the player to make even more money than what you’re offering, by having a great year, then selling that improved projection to another team.
If you’re offering Tucker 3/150m for his age 29-31 seasons with no opt outs, he’s not going to take it if the Jays are offering 8/320m, since the chance he’ll make at least 5/170m for his age 32-36 seasons is probably significantly less than 50-50.
To be able to get him for three years with NO opt outs would probably cost you at least 3/180m, to convince him to forgo the Jays 8/320m offer, and you might have to go as high as 3/200m to convince him.
$50 million a year? What the hell are we doing here?
They are paying $50MM to move from an 86 win team to a 90 win team.
90 wins and they would have made the playoffs this season
Took the words out of my mouth.
20 years $1,000,000,000.00
Feels like this would be coming from Cohen. This is not Stearns style.
These are agent-leaked numbers. I have a hard time believing the Mets are going that hard for Tucker.
And it won’t make any difference.
Blue Jays should split that between Bellinger and Bichette – at 30 MM each for them you are better off
Mets need to sign a big bat or Soto will just be walked all the time.
I call B.S. on the money reported here. Soto got a $51M AAV deal (sans escalators/incentives), I can’t see the Mets putting another player that close to Soto’s AAV. Not right now or in the near future.
Tucker is a 4-5 WAR player, Soto is a 6-7. $45M AAV is probably tops on a 2-3 year deal.
The years are the major difference here. Think in terms of the whole deal. If Tucker puts up 4 WAR a year for three years, you’ve paid $150 million for 12 WAR, or $12.5 million per WAR. Soto has 14 years and $713 million left on his deal. Soto would need to put up about 51 WAR over the next 14 years, or about 3.6 per season, to cost the Mets $12.5 million per WAR. I think it’s a pretty reasonable prediction and puts the reported Tucker offer into perspective.
Sure, I understand that. And I do think Tucker is a reasonable bet for a 15 WAR over the next 3 years, perhaps a little more.
But even on short years, I don’t think you would do a contract that had that close of an AAV to Soto just like I don’t think the Yankees would want to sign someone with a higher AAV then Judge unless they were willing to give Judge more money and re-work the deal. It’s a respect thing. Maybe I’m overthinking it.
I don’t know if you’re overthinking it, it’s worth discussing. I personally think the AAV talk is overblown. Even a 3/$150 million deal isn’t even 20% of the total money Soto is receiving. I agree on the Yankees with Judge, but imo, they care more about stuff like that (then again, they were neck and neck with the Mets on Soto).
Didn’t the Mets sign both JV and Max to $42M+/yr. several years ago? Why would this be BS?
$150 million is a $150 million whether it’s over 3 years or 5 years. Tucker will not top the AAV of the deal but would have the chance at one more big payday in 3 years with this deal
Can Tucker stay on the field? Can Bellinger stay on the field. Alonso is always on the field. #lgm let’s go mets!
You mean Lets go O’s dontcha?
Tucker has missed 90% of his time from being hit by pitches. How is that an injury risk going forward? Tucker also put up better WAR cumulatively over the past few seasons than Alonso DESPITE missing time. It just shows how much closer to an elite player he is compared to Alonso.
With an Opt-Out after the first year?
I think Skenes is the only player in mlb that has a chance of beating the Ohtani contract. Outside of that I don’t think we see a deal that big in our lifetime.
Pete gives 162+ games. Not the underestimated . That was a screw up.
You’re right that Alonso plays every day, at least he has played every game, as he has for the last two seasons, but those two seasons have resulted in:
2.6 WAR, oWAR 2.9
3.4 WAR, oWAR 4.4
Tucker:
2024, 78 games:
4.7 WAR, oWAR 4.0
2025, 136 games:
4.6 WAR, oWAR 4.7
Tucker his last 214 games is a 9.3 WAR player, while Alonso is a 6 WAR player in his last 324 games.
Not a knock on Alonso, I love Pete, but Tucker is a much more valuable player than Alonso, even if he misses 20 to 30 games, which he isn’t necessarily going to do. He played in 157 games in 2023.
You’re comparing a guy at 26 27 28 years old who had a good portion of his value tied to defense and speed. Something that at his age is going to decline greatly within a year or two and if he’s getting paid anywhere close to what they’re saying, will all but vanish within the next few years.
So it’s not really comparable because Alonzo has a much better chance to outperform Tucker over the next 5 years than Tucker does to outperform Alonzo. All Alonzo has to do is keep hitting. Where as Tucker who is a good hitter, would have to keep up things completely unsustainable into his thirties.
There’s a good chance Alonzo stays at a 5 go 6 war player over the next 5 years. I’d say it’s almost a certainty.
Whereas it’s basically just as much of a certainty that Tucker does NOT stay a 7+ war over the next 5 years.
Like I said another post, You can find a guy to hit 25 home runs in about 260 on the clearance table… Baseball’s a business and if somebody’s paying him $40 million a year the stolen bases and defense is going to dry up really quickly because they are not going to want him giving his all on every single play when it may not be necessary. There’s a lot more to it than just even the business side. There’s the insurance side too.
There are far too many intangibles to a player like this whose value comes from being good enough over a wide range of abilities that just isn’t possible going into your thirties. There are aberrations like Ricky Henderson and what not from time to time, Kyle Tucker is not.
He’s a good player who is somehow getting treated like a superstar and I would want nowhere near my team if I’m an owner or even my fan.
Hold your breath for Alonso to be a 6 war player let alone for 5 years
I do think Tucker is overrated as I watched 95% of hit at bats last year.
I wouldnt sign him for more theb 5 maybe 6 years.
You understand Alonso has never been that kind of player, he’s over 30, his defense has declined in recent years. I do think Alonso could hit 50+ HRs any year in Camden Yards from now until age 35 or so. Wouldn’t surprise me.
But you’re seriously overestimating Tucker as a pure hitter. And he may not ever steal 25-30 bases again, but he’s still a better hitter than Alonso.
wRC+
——-Alonso——-Tucker
2021: 131———–146
2022: 141———- 130
2023: 120———–139
2024: 121———–179
2025: 141————138
wRC+ doesn’t account for SB or DEF, which Tucker has much more added value in both categories than Alonso.
The key thing with the two players from just a batting perspective is that Alonso consistently strikes out about 23% of the time while Tucker strikes out about 15% of the time.
Sure, Tucker will lose some sprint speed, he already has. But even though Tucker is now only 26th percentile sprint speed last year, he still stole 25 bases and caught only 3 times. Because he’s a superior base runner as well. Just like Juan Soto is slower than Tucker, only like 13th percentile in sprint speed, but led the league in SB with 38.
He’s a better all-around player than Alonso and particularly when it comes to talking about value.
@CJCue: “There’s a good chance Alonzo stays at a 5 go 6 war player over the next 5 years.”
He’s cleared 5 WAR only once in his career and it was as a rookie in 2019, ie six full seasons ago. 3-4 WAR, maybe. But if I were a betting man, I’d put him at 2-3 WAR/season over the length. of the deal. His defense destroys his value (even though I personally think he’s elite at scooping/picking throws).
CJCue: not sure what you are trying to get to here, but there is almost zero chance Tucker is less valuable than Pete over the next 5 years. Are you just trolling or do you actually believe what you’re typing? Tucker’s floor is Pete’s ceiling, just as an offensive player. Not talking HR’s, talking overall offensive output. That doesn’t even take into account him playing a more valuable position, and playing it at an average to above average rate, versus one of the worst defenders in baseball in Alonso. This is coming from someone who absolutely loved Pete, but I will take Tucker over him 1000 times out of 1000.
I am just curious if he takes this or will he take something for many more years and less money.
Why would John Mincone know anything? And the fansided article just refers back to John Mincone. Why is this credible at all? (FWIW, Mets fan, and I would like this to be true, but I can’t see any reason to believe this is any more real than when a random guy reported Adolis Garcia was traded to the Mets at the deadline.)
I think MLBTR is pretty good at not passing along trash.
This is an agent leak from Tucker’s camp so they can continue negotiations with the Blue Jays, Dodgers or a mystery team. Say what you will about the Mets but in a post Jay Horwitz-era the Mets do not leak. Unfortunately the trade off of that and having the wealthiest owner in the sport, means that agents are going to use you as leverage to get what they want. He’ll be a Blue Jay, Dodger or something else by the end of the day or tomorrow. Sorry fellow Mets fans, this one ain’t happening.
Now signing Valdez, Austin Hays and say trading for Pivetta and dealing Senga and/or David Peterson and Mark Vientos? That I think is much more likely and realistic for the next month. They will be a much better all around team just very different as they largely try to win with elite defense and solid pitching with an offense anchored by Lindor and Soto and hoping Baty and Alvarez can continue to take the next step forward.
You’re confidence in your ability to predict the future is charming. I suspect you’ve taken this skill to your investments and have made yourself quite wealthy. Bravo!
You are correct.
No to Austin Hays. A mediocrity.
Mashes lefty, not mediocre and would likely be a platoon LF with someone.
You are mostly right but I don’t think anyone but Toronto is in it and Tucker ‘s agent doesn’t like that fact much and is trying to make Toronto pay as much” possible by using the Dodgers to do it. I think the whole “Yankees turned their attention to Tucker “ thing is absolute BS leaked by Tuckers agent as well. Toronto is going to get him, but it’s going to be more of a discount for fewer years than. Tucker and company wanted because the big dogs are determined to not get long-term contracts
“Now signing Valdez, Austin Hays and say trading for Pivetta and dealing Senga and/or David Peterson and Mark Vientos? That I think is much more likely”
I wouldn’t say making that many moves this deep into the offseason is likely at all.
Have Austin Hays and Valdez signed anywhere yet? No, they are going to have to in the next month. Has Nick Pivetta been traded yet? No, but rumors are the Padres are looking to move salary and he is the likely candidate – Vientos can easily be in a package for him. There were rumors of the Mets talking to the Rockies for Doyle in CF. That could mean Peterson going back in a trade. There is ample time to make all of those moves and relatively quickly.
So do Kyle Tuckers stats automatically get doubled for some reason?
Because he’s not a great player. He’s a good player. His best seasons would have been considered bad seasons by the guys they seem to be trying to compare him to. Especially given at his age one of the attributes that contains a good portion of his value will be in decline the next year or 2 and will be vanished in 3 of he’s getting paid 40M a season. This is one of the most overrated players I’ve ever seen.
Not saying he sucks. But you can get a guy on the clearance table to hit 25hrs and bat .260.
This is insane
If you’re only looking at batting average and raw HRs in 2026 to evaluate players, seek help
Goodness me, look at his stats. Elite.
CJCue: You’re joking, right? He has been a 5 WAR player or better basically every year. His OBP is close to .400. Last year before he was hit by a pitch he was on track for 45 HR’s by the halfway mark of the season and on pace for a 170 WRC+ and 9 WAR season. But sure, he’s not a great player. 🤦♂️
Harris swoops in Tigers 8 years and 300 mil!
Then I wake up from my dream;)
Not an overused deferral joke, but assuming LAD defers a good chunk of that 50 mil annually, what’s the benefit in not accepting the hypothetical long term Jays offer if the true contract value after deferrals would be closer to the AAV of a longer pact?
LAD won’t defer “a good chunk of that 50 mil” because Tucker won’t take a 50m salary on a short deal that works out to, say, 40m annually in NPV.
Perhaps Kyle will walk on water to demonstrate his greatness
Right?! What am I missing with this guy?!
If the Dodgers want him, they will get him. I just don’t think that they do and certainly not at that asking price.
While the Dodgers may be lurking in the background, I think they’re watching Tarik Skubal’s situation with the Tigers. The Tigers have until Jan. 26th to workout a deal with him. After that, the arbitration process starts on the 26th to Feb. 13th. I don’t think Friedman will overpay for Tucker if he thinks he can get or, really wants Skubal. It is going to take a lot of money to sign Skubal! I think Friedman is looking at a trade for a corner outfielder or someone internally. IMHO
David: I beg you, get it done. Four years, 200M or five years 240M. He’s only 29. Do it. You’ve got a gaping hole in the outfield bigger than the pacific ocean.
Agree. Even if it takes $400 Million over 5 years, we need him and have to keep him away from the Dodgers.
Might need to go $550 Million.
They aren’t giving him a higher AAV than Soto
@Monix: Until they do. This is a total non-issue that fans care more about than players. If they gave Tucker a higher AAV, Soto can comfort himself knowing he will make $765 million over his Mets career.
I repeat for people who are slow- Tucker is not getting a higher AAV than Soto.
Yeah, since you need to resort to name-calling, it’s quite obvious that you’re full of it. If he gets it, he gets it. There’s no magic Soto Threshold, no matter how hard you try to will it into existence. Bloviating nonsense.
rct: There’s a species of person found on baseball blogs that gets satisfaction by sticking out their chest and making believe they can predict the future with great certainty. You’ve run into one.
depends if he sustains quality hitting over the course of a 3 year deal would be fine so he can maximize the pay increases while he is only 32/33 on next free agency.
Five year deal would put him into a likely declining age on next FA
If NYM sign Tucker and get 1 more quality SP, they are a very good team again. Lost in the frustration is how good McLean is gonna be
So Mets offered three years and Jays four. 😁
Probably will amount to a series of one year deals in the end
The latest rumor or report or whatever makes me think Toronto will get it done with $320-350 million over a lot of years with some opt-outs and a complete no-trade. Stay tuned.
Toronto is inevitable and it was never really even a question in my mind
Then we’re all a bunch on ninnies thinking about, reading about, and writing about an inevitability. Thus spake Mark66.
Most people know Tucker to be a different ‘cat’. There has been question about his commitment to the game. I see him as more a security guy than short term outs kinda guy.
I called it, but technically I guess we have to go through the motions of seeing if any other team will match Toronto, ( they won’t) but he was never going anywhere else but to the Blue Jays because they were the only team to offer him a long-term deal what he wanted.
The Mets were just doing PR , they knew a three-year deal would be insulting to him and he would never take it but it’s good to say “ hey, we tried”.
It’s the rare bitter pill for me as a Dodger fan is that we will settle for Harrison Bader on a team of aging vets who needed a big bat to offset the decline that’s already started. I hope I’m wrong, but I see it as such a big mistake that it’s going to end their reign as champions.
Having Bader this season would not be your biggest problem. Having him for another season or two after that would be your biggest problem
Those nefarious cynical Mets just doing PR…do you have recordings of Stearns’ and Cohen’s conversations? I love your certainty.
Waiting for that Dodgers offer of $900 million for 15 years, all deferred till year 2135 offer
i hear Tucker is on a plane to Toronto.
Same plane as Ohtani 😂
In related news, the Minnesota twins are set to announce a new tater tot hotdish that will be available in 2026 for $25. Press conference will be held tomorrow.
Source? Of the rumor, not of the taters.
My scorned heart.
Tucker obviously should go where he makes the most money.
in Toronto, each dollar goes farther but am not sure how they tax there.
In NY, its high tax and expensive living so that surely plays a role.
although incase injury or decline comes before contract ends that could impede next contract then he would be safer with longer length than 3yr,
I agree about the tax considerations, but not about the “expensive living”. When your income is as high as his will be, it doesn’t much matter if the house or the gas costs more than elsewhere. I wouldn’t figure him to worry about what’s on sale at Aldi’s this week. It’s short ribs of beef, but they’re usually very fatty so I don’t buy them.
Honest question: I realize Tucker is a good multi-tool player, and the best free agent in this class, but we’re talking superstar level contracts here. Is he truly at that level?
I would go all-star level player but stop short of superstar level. In my opinion superstar is reserved for the likes of Ohtani, Judge, Skenes, Skubal etc. He’s definitely a great all around player but I’m not sure he’s worth that exorbitant amount. But that is todays game, and the futures game as well since there will never be a salary cap in baseball. Guys can just demand astronomical amounts of money.
I think he’s worth more then Bregman at this stage, so he should get at least 35MM AAV. And since he’s 4 years older, a 8-9 year deal should be in play.
I agree that’s arguable. But the Mets have a huge crater in left field.
I wouldn’t go more than 6 years with Tucker. He’s gonna be 29 in 4 days. The only way I’d go 10 years is if there’s at least 2 opt outs. Or the 10 years isn’t guaranteed unless he accomplishes incentives. Whether it’s all star appearances, MVP votes. Gold glove wins. Like 4 all star appearances and the 8th and 8th year kicks in.
Opt outs favor the player. Always. No exceptions. Ever.
Nobody is worth more than 10 million a year …nobody
I think I am….but nobody pays that much to a retired cheese maker.
Bravo! A rare genuinely funny comment on this blog! For one comment like yours, I gotta put up with 20 dumb would-be jokes about a player’s name…
I’ve spent a lifetime honing my skills. I can cut cheese with my eyes closed….
I’m pretty good at boning a picnic shoulder of pork without cutting myself but I wouldn’t try doing it with my eyes closed.
Both the Mets’ and Jays’ offers seem ridiculous.
The Blue Jays better get this guy, especially since they aren’t bringing back Bichette.
I think Tucker would rather die in a fire than play with the Mets and ever be in the NY Post. Has anyone watched the guy? He hates the spotlight and feels embarrassed by attention. The guy has got Toronto vibes or 4th banana for the Dodgers feel. He’s an CPA that just happens to be a really good baseball player.
One can ignore it. See all the public scrutiny Stanton has encountered. Some like Jazz seem to embrace it.
Once upon a time they said he same thing about Kevin McReynolds but he did ok as a Met. Remember?
3/150 with an opt out after 1 year from the Mets or 6/220 with deferrals from the Blue Jays? Which would you take if you were still 28 years old? Would you bet on yourself to rebound and stay healthy or take the guaranteed money?
In the past the guys that have taken a short length, high AAV deal with opt outs have reset their salary floor when they have had a good 1st season and in Snell’s case when he had a bad 1st season. That is why to me it seems like the best course of action for Tucker is to take the Mets 3/150 deal with an opt out after one season. Even if he only has a 4.6 WAR season in 2026, he will set himself up for a $40+ million long term deal. If he stays healthy and rebounds to his 2024 level of performance a 6 WAR season could mean an even higher AAV.
Jays aren’t getting him for 6/220. He’s surpassing $350M+ easily in a long-term deal.
Just reported what I heard elsewhere.
Unlikely at this point
I’d rather the Jays bring back Bichette, at least they know his injury history.
@Carver Agreed. I’d rather the Jays bring back Bichette, at least they know he’ll be hurt a lot and quickly decline.
Its hard to know if Bo wants to return.
He didn’t seem like he really wanted to be back.
He wants to be an Angel.
$50mm/year? That’s kingpin money.
Reading through this, there is no way of pleasing Mets fans.
He should take the $50/yr with an opt out after the first and a no trade clause. If the Mets flounder again they can’t use him to recoup the farm.
In reality, I think between the 2 the Jays are gonna win this. He wants the years, not the AAV.
Has Dodgers written all over him. Just like all the other secret Dodgers he’ll dupe the Jays and Mets to make Dodgers pay a little more before going with them and winning a ring.
Why would the Mets want 2 RF? Strange they didn’t take care of the face of their franchise but offering KT more than Pete would have asked for
Soto goes to LF
Alonso’s “the face of the franchise”??
Squirrel has been as valuable since they came up.
Hang on—yes! You’re right: He’s the worst defensive 1Bman in baseball and insists for 2026 on playing 1B 90% of the time. He’s delusional, self-important, got extremely lucky in 2025 and thinks it was all due to his star power.
He’s a perfect Mets “face of the franchise.”
5 years, 185 to Giants
2026 Mets still won’t make the playoffs.
I’d rather have Kyle Tucker than Alex Bregman
You want the player that is going to get 2x the $, fascinating.
3 years younger, better, left-handed bat
Guess what, Jade? You can actually like a player without being concerned about how much he makes. Isn’t that also fascinating?
Stupid money for a very good player….actually, it would also be stupid money if he was a great player. But I don’t begrudge him for taking it if these owners are throwing it at him.
Of the three teams mentioned he’ll play second fiddle to Shohei, Vlad and Soto, and third fiddle in NY if you consider that the Mets are Lindor’s team even if he isn’t the best player there anymore. And if he doesn’t like the limelight, he can hide behind Soto and Lindor, and not have as much pressure. But he can also do that in Toronto and LA because he won’t be the best player on any of those teams.
I think that he gambles on himself staying healthy and productive and goes for the short term deal with opt outs.
So the two questions are, does he prefer LA or NY? And who wants him more, and is willing to show him that love with the highest AAV?
Why just LA or NY?
Or right…you probably forgot to mention the mile long customs lines or getting paid in C$….
American players get paid in US dollars. I go back and forth to Canada on a regular basis, it’s no hassle, plus I’m going to guess that the team goes through as a group.
Clearly you didn’t pick up on the sarcasm.
What’s the point about the fiddles? How does it matter if a star gets more or less than ink than a teammate?
Not really going out on a limb here but Tucker is going to Toronto. He wants and probably deserves a long term deal. Toronto looks to be a contender for quite awhile too.
Wouldn’t there be 9 position players who are signed for 9 years or more. You forgot Tuckers futures teammate in Vladdy.
Exactly what I thought when I read the article.
You’re the first one to point that out (unless it was somewhere else in the comments…)
Guy was writing about the 416…but didn’t include basic info.
If the Mets’ are willing to offer Tucker is 3/150 with opt-outs, I don’t understand why they didn’t use that money to match Baltimore’s offer to Alonso of 5/155 guaranteed. As it stands now though, Tucker would fit nicely into that lineup though. Lindor-Semien-Soto-Tucker-Polanco-Vientos-Contreras-Baty-Taylor is as good or better than the Phillies’ lineup and would put a lot of pressure on the Phillies to get a deal done for Bichette.
Contreras?
The answer is because they didn’t want him back. He’s a nice guy who hits a bunch of HRs but doesn’t do a lot more.
He led the league in doubles last year.
Sir, unless you’re a member of the exclusive club of fans who think rbis are a “useless statistic” (someone posted that this week), then explain to me how 125 rbis doesn’t count for much.
I wish they had gotten Contreras but alas, they did not.
If Mets owner is worth $25 billion why not just put it all on the line; go in heavy with free agents and win something. What’s the point of offering Kyle Tucker a 3 year contract ? Why would he take that ? Toronto will sign either bichette or Tucker. The other will go to the dodgers
Go to the Jays. Stay out of The NL EAST. Chip on!
I’m guessing the Mets are talking about something like a 3 year/$135mm with a mutual option for $45mm (or any random amount really) with a $15 buyout.
So it ends up at $50 per year for 3 years.
I will be surprised if he chooses the Mets given the presence of the Dodgers in the conversation.
Or the presence of the Jays who are rumored to have offered way more than 3 years.