01/15/26 10:22:00
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01/15 22:20 CST Kyle Tucker agrees to a $240 million, 4-year contract with the
World Series champion Dodgers
Kyle Tucker agrees to a $240 million, 4-year contract with the World Series
champion Dodgers
By JAY COHEN
AP Baseball Writer
Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los
Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the deal, bolstering the
team's chance for a third consecutive World Series championship.
Tucker can opt out of the deal after years two and three, according to the
person who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of
anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
Tucker's $60 million average annual value would be the second-highest in
baseball history, without factoring in deferred money, behind Shohei Ohtani's
$70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
Tucker becomes the latest accomplished veteran scooped up by the deep-pocketed
Dodgers, who will have seven of the majors' 29 biggest contracts by average
annual value in 2026. Los Angeles' previous big move of the offseason was
signing former New York Mets closer Edwin Daz, widely considered to be the
best reliever on the free agent market, to bolster their subpar bullpen.
The Dodgers will welcome Tucker's exceptional bat for the heart of their order,
but he also fixes one of their few roster deficiencies as an everyday corner
outfielder after Michael Conforto and several others largely struggled last
season in left field. Tucker seems likely to play right field for Los Angeles,
allowing the club to move Teoscar Hernndez back to left.
The Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost to the Dodgers in last year's
World Series, were believed to be in the mix for Tucker's services. "Let me
know when you see smoke," Mets owner Steve Cohen posted on X on Thursday,
before following with a second post clarifying that he was "waiting for a
decision."
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But he
played in just 214 regular-season games over the past two years.
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He
was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved
slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He
sustained a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against
Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.
After getting off to a fast start with his new team, Tucker hit just .231 with
five homers in 41 games after the All-Star break. He served as Chicago's
designated hitter in the playoffs as the Cubs eliminated San Diego in the first
round before losing to Milwaukee in a five-game NL Division Series.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer in
November, so his new deal means the Cubs will get a compensatory draft pick ---
likely in the No. 77-80 range.
Tucker was selected by Houston with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 amateur draft.
He played in three World Series with the Astros, winning a ring in 2022.
He hit at least 29 homers and drove in at least 92 runs for three straight
seasons from 2021-23. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the AL with 112 RBIs
in 2023.
He was limited to 78 games in his final season with Houston because of a
fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs.
The Tampa, Florida, native is a .273 hitter with 147 homers, 490 RBIs and an
.865 OPS in 769 career games. He also has 119 steals in 135 attempts.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham contributed to
this report.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB
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