Could the New York Yankees actually land Kyle Tucker?
Heading into the offseason, the New York Yankees were tabbed as one of the top landing spots for Kyle Tucker, but the deeper we progressed into the winter, the less likely it became.
However, a new development could have opened the door for the Yankees to actually make a push for the four-time All-Star.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today has revealed an intriguing update on Tucker, reporting that he may very well not be bagging the $400 million megadeal he initially anticipated.
"The Tucker market is the biggest mystery. He was projected to earn a contract in the $400 million neighborhood but could have to instead take a higher AAV on a short-term contract and hit the market again after two consecutive injury-plagued second halves," Nightengale wrote.
Let me just preface this by saying that I think New York would actually prefer Cody Bellinger due to his versatility, but the Yanks shouldn't close the book on Tucker completely.
And they probably haven't.
Kyle Tucker. Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images.Teams are always looking for opportunities, and if the chance to potentially land Tucker on a one or two-year deal surfaces, the Yankees may look to pounce.
Think about Bellinger. The AAV isn't really the sticking point for New York. It's the years. Bellinger is 30 years old, and the Yanks don't want to be paying an aging player with an injury history $30 million annually until he is 36 or 37.
But if you can get the 29-year-old Tucker on a short-term contract? That changes things.
Tucker is not Juan Soto. At least not offensively. He is a terrific player, but he isn't a generational talent in any aspect of the game. He's really good at everything; not great.
That's why the Yankees spending $400 million over a decade on Tucker never seemed all that realistic. But $80 million over two years or $40-45 million for one year is much more feasible.
Yes, it would put a major dent in New York's payroll for 2026, but are the Yankees trying to budget? Or are they trying to win championships?
I guess it could be a little bit of both, but if Tucker is truly available on a short-term contract, there is no reason why the Bronx Bombers shouldn't get heavily involved.