NEW YORK — Kyle Tucker is off the board. The four-time All-Star outfielder agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night. The deal sets a new Major League Baseball record for highest average annual value at $60 million per season.
The move reshapes the free agent market. It also changes everything for the Yankees and their pursuit of Cody Bellinger.
Both the Mets and Blue Jays had made offers to Tucker before he chose Los Angeles. Now those teams must pivot. So must the Yankees, who were never considered serious Tucker contenders but had been watching that market closely.
Bellinger now becomes top bat available
Tucker’s signing makes Bellinger the clear top outfield bat remaining on the market. The Yankees have been negotiating with Bellinger for weeks. They offered a five-year deal worth between $155 million and $160 million, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. That offer did not include deferred money and the Yankees were open to adding opt-outs.
But the sides remain apart on term. Bellinger wants seven years. The Yankees want five.
The Tucker deal gives Bellinger’s camp new leverage. His agents can point to the record-setting AAV in discussions with New York. Even if Bellinger does not get seven years, he may push for a higher annual salary.
Bellinger delivered strong numbers in the Bronx last season. He slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI across 152 games. He proved he could handle the pressure of playing alongside Aaron Judge in the most intense market in baseball.
Yankees remain best fit for Bellinger
MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand weighed in on the situation after Tucker’s signing.
“The Yankees are far and away the best fit for Bellinger, who showed last season that he can handle the pressure-cooker of the Bronx both on and off the field,” Feinsand wrote. “He posted excellent numbers at Yankee Stadium, a ballpark tailor-made for his swing, while providing protection for Aaron Judge in the lineup.”
The Mets now enter the picture as potential competitors. They missed on Tucker and need an impact bat after losing Pete Alonso to the Orioles and trading Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers. Steve Cohen has the financial muscle to outbid anyone.
Whether David Stearns wants to give Bellinger a long-term deal remains the question. The Mets could also look to the trade market or sign a lower-tier free agent.
Bo Bichette returns to Blue Jays radar
The Blue Jays wanted Tucker. They offered him a long-term deal potentially reaching 10 years, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Now they must find another way to improve their lineup.
That brings Bo Bichette back into focus. The shortstop reached free agency after declining arbitration with Toronto. He batted .311 with 18 home runs and 94 RBI last season.
Feinsand noted that Bichette has privately expressed concerns about playing half his games on artificial turf at Rogers Centre. The Phillies held a virtual meeting with Bichette last week and may be the only team willing to offer six, seven or eight years.
The Blue Jays have positioned themselves to move forward without Bichette. They signed Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto and could shift Andres Gimenez to shortstop if needed.
Tucker deal sets new market standard
Tucker’s contract surpasses the $51 million average annual value Juan Soto received from the Mets last winter. The deal includes opt-out opportunities after the second and third seasons.
The Dodgers now field a lineup with four of the top 20 position players in baseball by total Wins Above Replacement since 2023: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Tucker.
Los Angeles already won back-to-back World Series titles. They entered the offseason as favorites to win again. Adding Tucker makes them even more formidable.
CBS Sports wrote that Tucker’s deal introduces a new kind of contract structure that trades length for a more intense payday. Tucker can trigger an opt-out and hit free agency again before his age-33 season with $240 million already in the bank.
Mets left scrambling after Tucker miss
The Mets made a four-year offer reportedly worth $50 million per year. That was not enough to beat the Dodgers’ $60 million AAV.
Owner Steve Cohen posted on social media Thursday evening asking fans to “let me know when you see smoke.” It turned out he was not playing coy. The Mets simply got outmaneuvered.
Now New York faces a difficult offseason. They lost Alonso and Edwin Diaz to free agency. They traded Nimmo and Jeff McNeil. Without Tucker, they need another solution in the outfield and lineup.
Bellinger fits their needs perfectly. But so does a potential trade target like Luis Robert Jr. The Mets could also add power through a free agent like Eugenio Suarez, though that would not solve their outfield problem.
Yankees must act quickly on Bellinger
The Tucker signing accelerates everything. Bellinger now has more suitors. The Mets need a bat. Other teams may enter the picture.
The Yankees have been patient throughout this offseason. They traded for Ryan Weathers earlier this week to address rotation depth. They have stayed engaged on Bellinger while refusing to meet his seven-year demands.
Brian Cashman now faces a decision. Does he budge on term to secure Bellinger before a rival swoops in? Or does he hold firm and risk losing the outfielder who thrived in pinstripes last season?
Tucker chose the Dodgers. The market has shifted. For the Yankees, the clock is ticking on Cody Bellinger.
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