Bringing in Kyle Tucker can have some serious consequences for the Blue Jays.Toronto can spend big, but they’ve already made some big moves.The Blue Jays’ chances to sign Tucker can get slim soon.
During their World Series run, when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was asked about running it back next season, he clarified he wanted to do it with his friend and teammate, Bo Bichette, right beside him. However, the shortstop rejecting the Toronto Blue Jays’ qualifying offer seemingly signaled that a split wasn’t off the table. Now, with the active Kyle Tucker chase, that dream for Vladdy is at risk.
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“I want to watch Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. win a World Series together,” Brayden Ewasko said via Locked on Blue Jays. “Ketel Marte would be the better option because it would give you the ability to go out and sign Kyle Tucker now. Personally, I think it’s still Bo Bichette. I like the ability that he has to hit all the time, right? You could pretty much bank on him getting a hit every game.”
The Blue Jays have repeatedly cleared the air on wanting Bichette back in Toronto since their World Series run came to an end. However, with them chasing Kyle Tucker, the picture becomes quite grim since they can only choose one.
Now, the persistent interest in the former Cubs is understandable.
While Tucker shares many offensive capabilities with Bichette, his defense overpowers the shortstop in some ways, if not all. While he is graded as a league-average right fielder who is limited by his sprint speed, he provides value with his throwing arm, valued at the 83rd percentile. He can be a threat to throw out runners when given the chance.
Moreover, Tucker finished 2025 with a .266 batting average, a .841 OPS, 22 home runs, 73 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases across 136 games, showcasing his five-tool capabilities. Interestingly, this was despite missing significant time with a hairline fracture in his right hand
On the other hand, Bichette batted at .348 in the World Series, including that three-run homer off Shohei Ohtani in Game 7, all behind Guerrero! The Jays’ 2025 roster looked like the perfect mix. Now, the Jays might be risking this opportunity.
Bichette and Guerrero share a close relationship, so with the latter basically locked in for the long haul, it felt natural to think an eight-year deal would eventually keep Bichette around too. But moving on from Bichette could really shake Guerrero.
They’ve also dropped a monster seven-year, $210 million deal on Dylan Cease this Wednesday. Add that to the roughly $500 million already committed to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., plus about $100 million to Jose Gimenez. With the team also looking to bring Ketel Marte, possibly on his $116.5 million deal, the idea of throwing another $200 million at Bichette just doesn’t really make sense.
On the flip side, Ketel Marte seems like the more realistic move. He’d cost half of what Bichette would, and that extra payroll space could matter given that the Jays want to make a push for Kyle Tucker. Marte’s coming off a great 2025 campaign, too, with 28 HRs and a .283 average.
So it feels like Toronto’s staring at the same choice again: Bichette or Tucker. And from Ewasko’s point of view, breaking up a winning formula to chase the next big deal might be a risk the Jays shouldn’t take, especially when the probability of Tucker landing in Toronto is already low.
The Blue Jays’ chance of signing Tucker is also shrinking
Even with Bichette gradually moving away from the Jays, the chances of landing Tucker are also not looking bright. Courtesy: Dylan Cease’s $30 million AAV contract!
Tucker is coming in with no less than $350 million, and putting $210 million on Cease already means
the Jays are in a difficult situation to splash more.
Considering how their president, Mark Shapiro, promised to go big, the Jays can afford some big-ticket signings. But chances are surely shrinking.
However, there’s real danger if the Jays pass on both Bichette and Tucker and put everything on Marte. Remember, the pitching was solid all postseason for the Jays. The real problem was the lineup being one big bat short when the pressure cranked up. That’s why going after Tucker makes so much sense for this team right now.
He’s exactly the kind of hitter who can anchor the middle of the order, and his left-handed bat evens out a lineup that leans heavily right-handed. His playoff experience and steady production make him look like the perfect fit for a roster that’s clearly built to make another deep run. But should the team bet on spoiling something their cornerstones want?
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