Having already made a significant move by signing Edwin Díaz to be their new closer, the Los Angeles Dodgers might have even bigger plans this offseason as they look to solidify their roster going for a three-peat in 2026.
Per ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, the Dodgers are keeping an eye on Kyle Tucker if they can convince him to sign a short-term deal with a high average annual salary.
Another potential scenario thrown out there was the possibility of using some of their pitching depth to build a trade package for two-time AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal.
Gonzalez also suggested that the Dodgers “might do both” by signing Tucker and trading for Skubal, or at least making a serious attempt to do so.
“You can never rule anything out with them,” one rival executive told Gonzalez of the Dodgers.
If the Dodgers decide to aim lower in terms of financial commitments for outfield help, Gonzalez cited Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians and Brendan Donovan of the St. Louis Cardinals as potential trade fits.
Per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo, the Dodgers’ interest in Tucker would likely depend on him being amenable to a deal in the range of three to four years and a high average annual salary.
One comparison cited was the three-year, $120 million contract Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox last offseason.
The race for Tucker could come down to the two teams that played in the 2025 World Series. MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson reported on Dec. 3 that the Toronto Blue Jays hosted the five-time All-Star for a visit at their player development facility in Florida.
They are far from the only clubs with interest in Tucker. Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network has cited the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Baltimore Orioles as teams in the mix.
Most contract projections for Tucker are in the range of $370–400 million over at least 10 years. He will turn 29 on Jan. 17, so it wouldn’t be an outrageous strategy if he took a short-term deal that allowed him to hit the market again at the age of 31 or 32.
That hasn’t historically been the way premier free agents operate when the chance to secure a long-term deal comes around. Bregman’s deal from last year came about in part because he wasn’t getting the $200 million offers he was believed to be seeking.
Tucker doesn’t figure to have any such issues getting at least close to what he is seeking given his age and consistently high level of production. He owns a .273/.358/.507 career slash line in eight seasons.
Of course, there could be a lot allure in playing for the Dodgers right now because of how much talent they have assembled. There’s something to be said for knowing with near-certainty you are going to be in the playoffs every year and capable of making a deep run.