The Dodgers don’t appear to be taking a three-peat with no consideration, making a splash by agreeing with free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker on a four-year, $240 million contract, a supply advised MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. The workforce has not confirmed the deal.
Accidents put a damper on Tucker’s stroll 12 months with the Cubs in 2025, however he nonetheless completed with 22 homers, 25 steals, an .841 OPS and a 143 OPS+, affirming his stature because the consensus prime free agent obtainable this offseason.
After the season, Chicago tendered a qualifying supply to Tucker, which he declined. The QO, which might have paid him $22.025 million for 2026, hooked up him to Draft compensation; the Cubs will obtain a 2026 Draft decide after Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B now that Tucker has signed with one other membership.
One of many sport’s most full offensive threats, the outfielder combines elite plate self-discipline with sturdy contact abilities and plus energy, in addition to sufficient baserunning savvy to make an influence together with his legs, too, regardless that he’s not significantly speedy.
Since 2020, Tucker’s first 12 months as an enormous league common, he ranks ninth within the Majors with a 143 OPS+ (minimal 500 video games performed). He was additionally certainly one of six gamers to report no less than 100 dwelling runs, 100 stolen bases and 300 walks in that span and did so with the second-lowest strikeout fee (15.4%) of anybody within the group. Solely 10 place gamers have produced extra WAR (per FanGraphs) than Tucker’s 25.2 over the previous six years.
Chosen fifth total by the Astros within the 2015 MLB Draft out of Tampa’s H.B. Plant Excessive Faculty, Tucker spent his first eight years with Houston earlier than being traded to the Cubs this previous December. His emergence was key in serving to the Astros stay on a successful monitor after dropping quite a few high-profile gamers in free company. He made three All-Star groups throughout his time with the membership and received a World Collection title in 2022.
Traded to Chicago for his last 12 months earlier than free company, Tucker raced out to a formidable begin together with his new workforce, slashing .291/.396/.537 with 17 homers over his first 82 video games. He earned his fourth straight All-Star choice because of this, incomes one of many Nationwide League’s beginning outfield slots within the fan vote.
Nonetheless, Tucker went via a chronic stoop in July and August whereas taking part in via a hairline fracture in his proper ring finger, an harm he suffered on June 1. Simply when he appeared to be turning a nook, he sustained a left calf pressure that knocked him out for a lot of September and restricted him to DH responsibility through the Cubs’ playoff run, which stalled out towards the Brewers within the NLDS.
It was considerably harking back to the earlier 12 months, when an harm spoiled what was shaping as much as be his finest season. Tucker fouled a ball off his proper shin on June 3 and ended up lacking greater than three months. Earlier than happening the IL, he was tied for second within the Majors with 19 homers and ranked fifth amongst qualifiers with a .979 OPS.
