The Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays were considered to be the three finalists in the Kyle Tucker free agency sweepstakes this past offseason.
Tucker chose to join the Dodgers on a short-term deal despite having a 10-year, $350 million offer from the Blue Jays. The Mets were said to have presented Tucker with a contract structure similar to his agreement with the Dodgers.
According to Mitch Bannon of the Athletic, the 29-year-old praised the Blue Jays organization and fanbase, saying they remained under consideration throughout the process.
“I never counted them out until something was done,” Tucker said. “I was looking forward to whichever team I eventually ended up signing with. Obviously, they have great fans, a great stadium and a really good team.”
Additionally, Tucker had a very good impression of the roster and coaching staff in Toronto:
“Good roster,” Tucker said. “Had a phenomenal team last year. I think their coaching staff is great. I got a good feel for everything.
“They’re a good organization,” Tucker added.
The Mets made a strong push for the outfielder, but Toronto reportedly was always the Dodgers’ biggest threat.
The 2025 World Series runners-up were not afraid to spend money in the offseason after coming agonizingly close to a championship. They signed Dylan Cease to a massive contract and gave Japanese star Kazuma Okamoto a four-year, $60 million deal.
The Blue Jays did not match the average annual value offered by the Dodgers, but made an attractive proposal of their own by granting Tucker the long-term commitment he was said to be looking for at the outset of free agency.
All in all, this made Toronto a captivating destination for him, but it ultimately wasn’t enough.
Dodgers’ penalties for signing Kyle Tucker
In addition to Tucker, the Dodgers signed Edwin Díaz to a record-setting contract for a reliever.
Tucker and Díaz were two of the nine players who rejected the qualifying offer from their former teams at the start of free agency, meaning the Dodgers forfeited multiple picks in the 2026 MLB Draft to sign them.
By surpassing the third competitive balance tax threshold this past season, the Dodgers gave up their second and fifth-highest picks to sign Díaz. They also relinquished their third and sixth-round selections with Tucker’s addition.
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