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Jesse Rogers
The World Sequence champion Los Angeles Dodgers have landed prized free agent Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240 million contract, sources informed ESPN on Thursday night time.
The deal contains opt-outs after the second and third years, sources stated.
The $60 million common annual worth is the second largest for a participant in MLB historical past, trailing solely Tucker’s new teammate, Shohei Ohtani ($70 million).
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, was the highest free agent bat in the marketplace. The Mets and Blue Jays additionally had been within the operating for him; New York had offered a shorter-term deal believed to be value $50 million per season, whereas Toronto had made a long-term supply.
However he selected Los Angeles and a star-studded Dodgers workforce, which might be the proper match for the laid-back Tucker.
When wholesome, he is among the finest left-handed hitters within the league, however his previous two seasons have been marred by accidents — together with a fractured proper hand and a calf pressure that suppressed his second-half numbers with the Chicago Cubs in 2025.
Tucker was tendered a $22.025 million qualifying supply by the Cubs, which he declined by the Nov. 18 deadline. As a result of he signed with a brand new workforce, Chicago will obtain a compensatory choice after the Aggressive Stability Spherical B within the draft, across the seventy fifth choose.
Tucker was unbelievable within the first half of the season with the Cubs, hitting .280 with 17 dwelling runs whereas being named to the All-Star workforce for the fourth time. However he completed with solely 22 homers and 73 RBIs in 136 video games for the season whereas being the Cubs’ major DH within the playoffs. After getting back from the hand damage, Tucker struggled on the plate, hitting .218 in July and .244 in August.
The hand damage suffered in June might have impacted his distinctive swing as he hit an inordinate quantity of floor balls whereas recovering from the fracture. He has been a strong 5 WAR participant since 2021 with solely these accidents holding him again from even higher seasons.
Defensively, Tucker did not have his finest yr in 2025, however he is a earlier Gold Glove winner who will not damage a workforce within the outfield. He has respectable velocity, which reveals up on the bases; he has averaged greater than 20 steals over the previous 5 seasons, together with 25 final yr regardless of the late leg damage.
Tucker, whom the Cubs acquired by way of commerce from the Houston Astros previous to final season, will not be probably the most outspoken participant within the Dodgers clubhouse however has proven the flexibility to slot in with any group.
Per DraftKings Sportsbook, the Dodgers at the moment are +250 to repeat as World Sequence champions. That may be the second-shortest odds by a preseason favourite up to now 20 seasons, behind solely the 2025 Dodgers.
Info from ESPN’s Jeff Passan was used on this report.
