Yankees pundit points to major red flag in Kyle Tucker free agency

New York Yankees pundit Ryan Garcia's biggest concern about free agent Kyle Tucker isn't his on-field production. Garica is skeptical because elite teams are hesitant to move quickly despite Tucker's caliber.

Tucker is one of MLB's most well-rounded outfielders and a star free agent, while Garcia is the host and content creator for "Fireside Yankees." The pundit shared his concern about Tucker on Friday's episode of "Pinstripe Territory.

"Why are so many teams not in?" Garcia said (Timestamp: 4:36). "Why are the Dodgers not jumping at this? Why are the Mets not jumping at this? Why did the Phillies not consider going this route over Schwarber? The fact that teams aren't all over this is something that is concerning." "I guess it’s a little bit weird," he added. "It's something where I don't think I have a direct worry with Tucker on the stat sheet or watching him play over the last few years. It's more that the market knows something we don't, or the market just does not want to commit to whatever he’s asking for and they're going to be stubborn about it."

Garcia closed by contrasting Tucker's free agency with how true no-doubt superstars are typically handled. He said that Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Gerrit Cole signed their free agent contracts in December because they garnered interest from multiple teams.

Analyst predicts Kyle Tucker's next destination

Analyst and Red Sox loyalist Robbie Hyde believes Kyle Tucker's free agency is trending towards a short-term deal. As such, he claims a superstar team from the National League West is the ideal destination for Tucker. Hyde shared his prediction on Thursday.

"I say Kyle Tucker ends up with the Dodgers," Hyde said. "His market hasn't really materialized the way he wanted, with the only other team out there seeming to make a strong push being the Blue Jays."

The analyst is sure that Toronto will be aggressive, but he doesn't think they will go to the lengths that Kyle Tucker is expecting.

"I say he takes a short deal with the Dodgers," he added. "We saw it last year, with Alex Bregman going to the Red Sox, Pete Alonso taking the short deal with the Mets."

Pete Alonso signed a two-year, $54 million contract with the New York Mets last offseason. Meanwhile, Alex Bregman signed a three-year, $120 million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

Both deals featured multiple opt-outs, and they exercised the clause after the end of the 2025 season. Alonso is now with the Baltimore Orioles, having signed a five-year, $155 million contract. Bregman is still a free agent.

Edited by Safeer M S