Jan. 16, 2026, 9:28 a.m. ET
Former Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker made a big decision on Thursday that will have a major impact on the National League.
Tucker, a versatile player who is a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and a Gold Glove Award winner, chose to sign with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The 2022 World Series champion chose the back-to-back defending champs over other interested suitors including the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mets had a particularly strong need for Tucker after losing key position players including Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, and Jeff McNeil this offseason. Steve Cohen, the owner of the Mets, even had a cryptic tweet that seemed like it alluded to the saga.
The four-time MLB All-Star outfielder, however, signed a four-year deal for $240 million with the Dodgers instead. What, then, were the Mets offering for Tucker and was it anywhere close to what he eventually agreed to with Los Angeles?
According to Jim Duquette, the Mets offered $220 million over four years to Tucker. That is a higher average annual value than what Soto is owed.
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New York’s offer was frontloaded, per Jon Heyman, as follows: $60 million annually in years one and two, $50 million annually in years three and four.
The Athletic’s Will Sammon reported that New York’s offer included opt-outs in the deal after years three and four if Tucker was unhappy in New York or sought a new deal with the Mets or elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Heyman added that the Mets also offered a $75 million signing bonus for his services as well. The Dodgers offered a $64 million signing bonus, for comparison.
New York’s offer had no deferred money, via ESPN’s Jeff Passan, while Los Angeles offered $30 million in deferred money. He will have opt-outs available after years two and three.