The New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers are still in the running for the superstar outfielder.
After two months of wondering, the Toronto Blue Jays could get their answer on superstar free agent Kyle Tucker on Thursday.
Per Jon Heyman of the New York Post:
Folks involved say a deal for No. 1 free agent Kyle Tucker could come as soon as today. Ex teammates guess he’d prefer Toronto over an even bigger market (and like spring near Tampa). Mets offered $50M-a-year deal. Dodgers are used to winning. Anyone else is a major upset.
Why Toronto?
Based on everything we know about Tucker, he's a quiet and unassuming personality. That doesn't mean that he couldn't perform in a big market like New York, it just means that his personality may jive more in a city where the media scrutiny isn't as minute. Furthermore, in Toronto, he'd be insulated from the constant pressure because of the presence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Even though the Mets have Juan Soto to take a lot of the pressure off Tucker, New York's media market is just different. They'll find you no matter what.
About Tucker
The pre-eminent free agent on the market this offseason, Tucker is now 28 years old, but he'll turn 29 on Saturday. Already a four-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger, a Gold Glover and a World Series champion (2022), he's spent seven years with the Houston Astros and one with the Chicago Cubs.
He has five seasons of 20 homers or more and two of 30 or more, and he also has two seasons of 100+ RBIs. A decent defender and a solid baserunner, he also has three seasons of at least 25 stolen bases.
He's got a career OPS+ of 140.
What a signing would mean for the Jays
Well, the positional group would be thrown for a loop in a Tucker signing, but it could be managed in order to have the best offense in the American League.
Tucker would (presumably) go to right field with Daulton Varsho in center. One of Anthony Santander and George Springer would be the left fielder and the other would be the DH. Addison Barger would move to third with Andres Gimenez at short and Ernie Clement at second. Guerrero would play first.
Kazuma Okamoto, recently signed to a four-year deal, would end up in a super-utility role. Barger could play the outfield on any given day as well.
It would also, presumably, spell the end of Bo Bichette's tenure in Toronto. The room just isn't there.
What missing out on Tucker would mean
It would mean the Blue Jays are out the biggest bat on the market and they could make another push for a Bichette reunion, but it's unclear if he wants to be back at this point. If they lose Bichette this offseason and only replace him with Okamoto, then that offense is likely not as good as it was in 2025.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Remember to join our BLUE JAYS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Blue Jays fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that's free too!