Kyle Tucker has agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the deal, bolstering the franchise’s chance for a third consecutive World Series championship.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
Tucker’s $60 million average-annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, not factoring discounting, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But the 28-year-old outfielder has played in just 214 regular-season games over the last two years.
He batted .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He suffered a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf on Sept. 2.
After getting off to a fast start with his new team, Tucker hit just .231 with five home runs in 41 games after the All-Star break. He served as the designated hitter in the playoffs as the Cubs eliminated the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round before losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in a five-game NL Division Series.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer in November, so his new deal means the Cubs will get a compensatory draft pick.
The Astros selected Tucker with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He played in three World Series with the Astros, winning a ring in 2022.
He hit at least 29 home runs and drove in at least 92 runs for three straight seasons from 2021-23. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the AL with 112 RBIs in 2023.
He was limited to 78 games in his final season in Houston because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 home runs and 49 RBIs.
The Tampa, Fla., native is a .273 hitter with 147 home runs, 490 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 769 career games. He also has 119 steals in 135 attempts.
AP reporter Ronald Blum contributed.