The Los Angeles Dodgers have once again pulled the wool over the eyes of Major League Baseball.
Prized free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker is joining the Dodgers in free agency, Jeff Passan of ESPN reported on Thursday. Jesse Rogers of ESPN adds that Tucker is headed to Los Angeles on a four-year, $240 million deal (with an opt-out after the second year).
The four-time All-Star Tucker, 28, was the top remaining hitter on the free agent market this offseason. While the Dodgers were at the forefront of the conversation for Tucker for much of the winter, it appeared in recent days that momentum was building for Tucker to potentially head elsewhere.
Tucker, a former World Series champion with the Houston Astros, reportedly had an offer from the Toronto Blue Jays for a crazy number of years. The New York Mets were also said to have offered Tucker a contract with a $50 million average annual value, and Mets owner Steve Cohen even sounded a bit confident about the team’s chances earlier in the day Thursday.
But instead, it is once again the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers who win the sweepstakes for a top free agent. With Mookie Betts having transitioned into a full-time shortstop, Tucker is set to be the everyday right fielder in Los Angeles as the Dodgers look to go for MLB’s first three-peat since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees.
That said, the Dodgers adding to their embarrassment of riches by signing the multi-time Silver Slugger Award winner Tucker will further fuel the debate over the current state of Major League Baseball. Concerns over competitive balance and a possible lockout in 2027 may only intensify from here as a result of the news.