The Dodgers insisted they didn’t need to make a major addition to their lineup ahead of their bid to three-peat as World Series champions next season.
But on Thursday, they went ahead and landed the top hitter on the free-agent market anyway.
In a blockbuster move that only further reinforces the club’s superteam status, the Dodgers agreed to a deal with Kyle Tucker, a source confirmed, adding a four-time All-Star and the consensus top player in free agency this winter to their already star-studded nucleus.
For weeks, the Dodgers had been linked to Tucker, a 28-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder with a career .273 batting average and .865 OPS. In recent days, however, they faced stiff competition, with the New York Mets submitting a four-year bid of $50 million in annual salary and the Toronto Blue Jays reportedly offering a longer-term alternative.
The Dodgers, however, countered with their own staggering proposal: A four-year, $240 million deal, according to The Post’s Jon Heyman, that comes with the second-highest annual average value in the sport at $60 million, trailing only Shohei Ohtani.
ESPN first reported the signing, which will also reportedly include opt-outs after the second and third year of the contract.
Instead, Tucker elected to pick the two-time defending champions, rounding out a Dodgers offense that was still in need of another corner outfielder.
A former first-round pick of the Houston Astros coming out of high school in Tampa, Fla., Tucker has been an impact hitter ever since establishing himself in the big leagues in 2020, thanks to his powerful swing (he has two 30-homer seasons), pristine plate discipline (he has never had a 100-strikeout season) and ability to get on base (he ranks top-15 in the majors in that category since 2020).
He has been an All-Star selection each of the past four seasons. He is an underrated threat on the base paths (three seasons of 25-plus steals). He has also been decent defensively as primarily a right fielder.
On this year’s free-agent market, no other player provided such a well-rounded skill set –– especially considering he’s still on the right side of 30.
That profile did not help Tucker land the 10-year, $400 million mega-contract he was widely projected to receive entering the winter. His market was seemingly hurt by injury concerns (he has missed more than 100 games over the past two seasons) and his relatively down performance following a trade to the Chicago Cubs last year (when he batted just .266, and scuffled over the second half of the season while dealing with a hand fracture and calf strain).
Those factors, however, made him a more realistic fit for the Dodgers, who preferred a shorter-term, higher-salary contract given their already aging and expensive core.
Over the last week, it was unclear which way Tucker was leaning in his free-agent decision, as he fielded strong interest from both the Mets and Blue Jays.
But in the end, he ultimately opted to come to Los Angeles, becoming the latest big-name player to join the Dodgers’ star-studded roster.
He is the team’s latest big splash, even at a time they didn’t necessarily feel they needed to make one.