.jpg)
7 hours ago
1
The Los Angeles Dodgers have no shortage of superstars on their team. However, that is not going to stop them from being aggressive in free agency.
After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays on a $500 million deal, Kyle Tucker became the top free agent of the upcoming class. The Chicago Cubs traded for the three-time All-Star in the offseason and he has started off the season hitting .268 with a .912 OPS. His free agency could be the talk of the offseason, and The Athletic's Jim Bowden tabbed the Dodgers as a team that "should be in play for him."
"The three-time All-Star, one-time Gold Glove winner and one-time Silver Slugger looks like he’ll have an opportunity to hit that trifecta in his free-agent walk year," wrote Bowden. "Following Juan Soto’s record-setting $765 million deal in free agency and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s $500 million extension, Tucker is expected to land a nine-figure contract that starts with a 6. Several big-market teams, including the (Chicago) Cubs, (Philadelphia) Phillies, (New York) Yankees and (Los Angeles) Dodgers, should be in play for him."
The Cubs have the luxury of already having Tucker in their building. However, he and his agent likely know they can start a bidding war if he hits the open market. Even if he wants to stay with the Cubs, an extension could mean leaving a great deal of money on the table.
Tucker has been named to three consecutive All-Star games and has hit 122 home runs since 2021. Adding him to a lineup that already has Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith would make the Dodgers even better.
Follow The Sporting News On WhatsApp
The Dodgers have made it a trend to offer contracts with heavy deferrals to prioritize winning now. If Tucker is willing to agree to that kind of contract structure, the lure of playing for the Dodgers is high. They are built to contend year in and year out. Tucker is one of the best players in the league, so joining the Dodgers would be on par with how the team has operated in recent years.
More MLB: Dodgers could acquire $33M All-Star in blockbuster deal, move Mookie Betts to OF
English (US)