Outfielder Kyle Tucker, MLB's top free agent, has agreed to a four-year, $240 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, featuring the highest average annual value in baseball history. The contract includes opt-outs after the second and third years, a $64 million signing bonus, and $30 million in deferrals, bringing the present-day AAV to $57.1 million. This move bolsters the back-to-back World Series champions' outfield as they pursue a three-peat.
The agreement, reported late Thursday night, marks a significant addition for the Dodgers, who have not yet officially announced the signing. Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs, earning them draft-pick compensation while costing the Dodgers their third- and sixth-round picks in the upcoming draft—on top of penalties from their earlier signing of closer Edwin Díaz.
Tucker brings elite production to Los Angeles after a 2025 season with the Cubs where he hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 25 stolen bases, and a 143 OPS+, good for 4.5 WAR despite injuries including a fractured hand and calf strain that hampered him late. Over the past six years, he ranks ninth in MLB with a 143 OPS+ and second among the group in low strikeout rate at 15.4%. Previously with the Houston Astros, Tucker earned four All-Star nods and a 2022 World Series title before his December 2024 trade to Chicago.
The Dodgers, already featuring stars like Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman, project Tucker in right field, shifting Teoscar Hernández to left and keeping Andy Pages in center. This addresses their outfield's weaknesses, ranked 18th in FanGraphs WAR last year, improving on-base percentage and reducing strikeouts. A projected lineup includes Ohtani at DH, Betts at shortstop, Freeman at first, and Tucker fourth, creating historical offensive depth with multiple players above 140 OPS+.
Competitors Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets missed out; Toronto offered a 10-year deal, while the Mets bid four years at $220 million. The signing elevates the Dodgers' luxury tax payroll to around $398.6 million, underscoring their aggressive spending for contention. As one analysis notes, 'The Dodgers got their guy, yet again.'
