Dodgers secure superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, outbidding Mets and Blue Jays with a lucrative four-year, $240 million deal.
The New York Mets were holding out every bit of hope that superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker would sign a free agency deal with them.
Tucker, who played last season with the Chicago Cubs, was one of the biggest names in this cycle.
The Mets had reportedly offered him a shorter deal that would pay him $50 million per year, which was a solid offer by the Mets.
But, in another unfortunate twist, reports came out late Thursday that Tucker is signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Yes, the rich get richer, and ESPN's Jeff Passan first had the news.
Jon Heyman also added that the Dodgers are signing Tucker to a shorter deal, although no specifics have been released as of yet.
The Dodgers, Mets and Toronto Blue Jays were seen as the finalists for Tucker, with Toronto reportedly offering the longest deal and the Mets offering a ton of money per year.
Tucker joining the back-to-back World Series champions shows what he might've been looking for: Money and a chance to win.
Shortly after, ESPN's Jesse Rogers had the terms: It was a four-year, $240 million deal for Tucker from the Dodgers.
The contract includes an opt out after the second season, so, at the very least, Tucker is there for two years and joins a loaded Dodgers roster.
The Mets had offered Tucker a deal in the range of four years worth $50 million per year, and he goes to the Dodgers for an extra $10 million per year in AAV, although perhaps the opt out helped Tucker decide, not to mention they are the back-to-back World Series winners.
The Mets brutal offseason takes another turn. They already saw Pete Alonso sign with the Baltimore Orioles and Edwin Diaz sign with the Dodgers (yes, really).
Brandon Nimmo and Jeff McNeil were also traded by the Mets, so the roster is going to look a lot different.
The Mets have reportedly been in discussions with Cody Bellinger and are a possibility for Houston Astros star pitcher Framber Valdez, so there is still some hope for this team this offseason.
But, Tucker going to LA changes the trajectory of MLB, especially with talks of a lockout coming after the 2027 season, and the fact that this latest deal might have expedited those conversations as well.
The Mets will hope tin sign another big name in free agency, but it won't be Kyle Tucker.