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Chicago Cubs OF Kyle Tucker.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have made one big splash in free agency by signing pitcher Edwin Diaz, but now the question is: Do they have another big move in them? Some rumors suggest that a trade for Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is on the horizon, but the team’s rotation is already loaded.
Arguably, their biggest need is in the outfield. Teoscar Hernandez appears to be on the trade block, Kike Hernandez is a free agent and Andy Pages hasn’t proven he can make an impact on offense in the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs All-Star Kyle Tucker is easily the best outfielder in free agency, but he’s going to cost a ton of money. While the Dodgers are still in the mix, Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic believe that they could have trouble getting Tucker at the contract they’d want him at.
“To sign Díaz, the Dodgers were willing to sacrifice two draft picks, their second- and fifth-highest selections in 2026, plus $1 million in international bonus pool space,” Rosenthal and Woo wrote. “Signing Tucker would cost them their third- and sixth-highest picks, a seemingly minor impediment. The bigger issue with the Dodgers in a Tucker pursuit would be getting him at their price.
“Los Angeles is unlikely to offer Tucker a six- or seven-year deal, according to a person briefed on the team’s plans. The club, however, would entertain a shorter three-to-four-year deal with a high annual average value, similar to what Alex Bregman landed last spring when he signed a three-year, $120 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.”
Tucker Might Want to Go Somewhere He Can Be the Star
The problem with any player who joins the Dodgers is that they won’t be the biggest star on the roster as long as Shohei Ohtani is playing. They also have to compete with huge names like Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell.
Rosenthal and Woo could see Tucker wanting to play somewhere he can be the star of the team.
“The Dodgers have refrained from including opt-outs in free-agent signings, but might be inclined to reconsider that position,” Rosenthal and Woo wrote.
“Tucker, generally reserved, might be better suited for a low-key environment. He could accomplish that by going to a lesser market, but with the Dodgers, he would be perhaps only the team’s fifth or sixth biggest star.”
Should Dodgers Go All-In on Tucker?
If it turns into a bidding war for Tucker, it’s hard to imagine any team can beat the Dodgers. They have seemingly endless money to pay free agents. They could also give Tucker whatever kind of contract he wants.
He’s certainly worth a high price tag. He has been named an All-Star in four straight seasons and is a Gold Glove Award winner. He’d be a huge upgrade over what the Dodgers currently have in the outfield. At the same time, the Dodgers have a 20-year-old Josue De Paula, who they might want to give some run this season. They could also hold off to see what players might become available in a trade.
Tucker is very good, but do the Dodgers want to pay $40 million a year for a player who has finished top-five in MVP voting just once in his career? It’s possible that they don’t.
Austin Boyd has covered the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Lakers for Heavy.com since 2019. A Los Angeles native now based in Las Vegas, his featured work at Heavy includes interviews with NFL stars Darren Waller and Joe Montana, and a behind-the-scenes look at “The Shop.” More about Austin Boyd
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