The New York Mets have finally made their big move, and it’s a fascinating attempt to reset the market with a high AAV offer. The Mets have offered free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker a multi-year deal worth $50 million a year, according to reports, although there are no specifics yet about the number of years or opt-outs that might be included.
One aspect of this prospective deal that’s gone under the radar is that signing Tucker would come close to completing the Mets’ defensive overhaul to focus on run prevention. As impressive as Tucker’s power numbers have been to date, it’s this aspect of signing him that’s probably just as important to GM David Stearns.
Tucker won a Gold Glove in 2022, and he has a strong and accurate arm. He makes excellent reads and takes the right path to the ball, something that wasn’t always true with former Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo, who could turn ordinary fly balls into an adventure.
Shifting him over to left would make the Mets even stronger defensively. His arm strength isn’t quite elite, but Tucker would certainly prevent runners from taking an extra base, which was also an occasional issue with Nimmo.
Right fielder Juan Soto’s special project this year is going to be improving his defense, and that plays into the move as well. Adding Tucker would help whoever ends up playing center field—possibly rookie Carson Benge in the Mets ideal scenario—to cheat toward right a little to help out Soto.
Tucker offers positional versatility as well. He played center early in his career with the Chicago Cubs, and he could easily do that on occasion with the Mets if Benge struggles or the Mets decides to go with a veteran defensive option.
The structure of this deal also plays into Stearns’ desire for better defense. Tucker is 29, and his range will inevitably decline as he gets older. Having him on a short-term deal gives the Mets more flexibility to continue to emphasize defense, and if Tucker and the Mets decide to extend the deal, they can give him more time at DH if necessary.
The key number right now is the number of years the Mets are offering. Three would be ideal, but it’s just as likely that it will take 4-5 to get it done. Given the value Tucker offers across the board here, the Mets should do whatever it takes.