8 potential landing spots for Kyle Tucker
Kyle Tucker is the best position player available in free agency this winter. While he'd instantly improve any team, his high price tag has helped drag his availability into the new year. Still, the longer he lingers on the market, the more likely it is that a surprise team enters the mix - perhaps offering a short-term, big-money deal. Here, we take a look at some of the best fits for Tucker, from the most talked-about clubs to some potential wild cards.
The Blue Jays have been connected to Tucker all winter, and with good reason. Ownership has spared no expense in trying to improve the team after coming inches from a World Series title. The Blue Jays need a big bopper - ideally from the left side - to complement Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for both the short and long term. Tucker fits the Jays' offensive profile to a tee: He's a patient, high-contact, low-strikeout hitter with power who's fast on the bases. A Tucker megadeal would take the Blue Jays' payroll and luxury-tax bill into a whole other stratosphere, but that's a small price to pay - and one that Rogers Communications is obviously able to afford. The Jays also have long-term wiggle room for another contract with George Springer, Kevin Gausman, and Shane Bieber, among others, set to come off the books next winter.
If Tucker does take a long-term deal from Toronto, it would almost certainly end Bo Bichette's tenure north of the border. Tucker would also create a logjam of corner types; Kazuma Okamoto, Anthony Santander, Addison Barger, Davis Schneider, and Nathan Lukes all still need at-bats, meaning one of the four incumbents might find themselves on the move if Tucker arrives. Still, this would be a great problem for the Blue Jays to have. He'd make the reigning AL champions that much better, and if you're another AL East team, the thought of Guerrero and Tucker mashing together for the next decade should give you nightmares.
Tucker led the Cubs back to the playoffs in his first (and perhaps only) season on the North Side of Chicago while winning a Silver Slugger and flirting with a 30-30 season. Whether that was enough to convince the Cubs to re-sign the four-time All-Star remains to be seen, although the fit - at least on paper - remains apparent. Even a struggling Tucker dramatically improves the Cubs' lineup, and he's a far better defender than Seiya Suzuki in right field. A reunion seems to make a lot of sense.
The questions here have more to do with whether the Cubs want to meet Tucker's price tag, be it on a short- or long-term deal. Of course, the Cubs should be spending: They're a big-market team with rich owners and a history of running high payrolls. But in this specific case, it's also fair to wonder about Tucker's overall fit with the franchise. His home-road splits in 2025 were skewed heavily in favor of the road, and his second-half downturn, while injury related, raised more than a few eyebrows. Maybe the two sides really didn't click last year - but we don't know this for a fact. Unless Tucker already told them he's leaving, there's no reason the Cubs shouldn't move heaven and earth to keep him at Wrigley Field.
Steve Cohen loves to make a splash, and surely he's itching to shake things up after last September's collapse and the departures of Pete Alonso and Edwin Díaz. In this regard, Tucker would represent a perfect fit for the Mets. The trio of Tucker, Juan Soto, and Francisco Lindor would be downright scary. Brandon Nimmo's trade opened up a corner outfield spot, and Tucker's an obvious upgrade over Soto in right field; Soto has experience in left, and is probably better suited for that corner anyway.
The actual contract should be of no concern to Cohen, who's shown little restraint when it comes to spending. If Cohen wants something, he'll clearly stop at nothing to acquire it. A short-term deal could work for both sides, and indeed, the Mets would reportedly prefer to bring him in on a short-term agreement. If that interest is mutual, this feels like a very good match.
Yeah, this one is wishful thinking. But the Pirates have shown an inclination to spend this offseason, and if they want to meet Tucker's price - which they should - it would be a perfect pairing. He'd obviously lengthen the Pirates' lineup and would be a great fit at PNC Park. He'd give the club a legitimate offensive anchor to build around for the next decade and could help transform Pittsburgh into a destination while dramatically increasing the odds that Paul Skenes sticks around. Yes, the Pirates would have to overpay to lure Tucker given their history - the franchise has never even come close to making this kind of signing - but it would instantly pay off.
Adding Tucker is the kind of move a rebuilding franchise makes when it wants to send a message that it's ready to start contending. The Bucs had a good start to the winter by trading for Brandon Lowe and signing Ryan O'Hearn. If they were to shock the world and open the wallet for Tucker, they might just win the offseason.
Buster Posey's swung for the fences multiple times in his first year-plus running the Giants, so why wouldn't he do it again? Tucker would enjoy taking aim at McCovey Cove for the next decade, and he has the defensive capabilities required to patrol Oracle Park's quirky right field. Now imagine having to navigate a lineup of Jung Hoo Lee, Willy Adames, Tucker, Matt Chapman, and Rafael Devers - not to mention top prospect Bryce Eldridge. Tucker would push the Giants right back into contention in the rough-and-tumble NL West. They could also likely afford it over the long haul, even after accounting for their other long-term deals on the books. With Tucker in tow, the future would be very bright in San Francisco.
There's no indication that the Tigers are ready to hand out a long-term contract here, but if Tucker's willing to take (or ends up having to take) a shorter agreement with opt-outs, they'd be in a good position to land him. Tucker fits the Tigers offensively, even if he'd add yet another left-handed bat to their lineup. But his impact would be immediate on the field. Signing Tucker even for the short term would also signal a willingness to make the most of Tarik Skubal's last year under team control. If the Tigers aren't going to trade Skubal - and they shouldn't - they should make every effort to improve the club now and convince him to stick around. Signing Tucker would represent a significant contribution toward that mission.
Hey, this sounds familiar. The Astros traded Tucker last winter because they had no intention of signing him to the long-term contract he wants. But if he was open to, let's say, a three-year, $140-million deal with opt-outs? That might change some things. Both sides know each other very well, so not much background work would be needed beyond the negotiations. The fit is very clear after the Astros weren't able to replace Tucker's production in right field. Owner Jim Crane has been loath to hand out long-term deals, so the only way this would work is if Tucker's market collapses to the point that he has to take a shorter agreement. Should that happen, a brief reunion could benefit both parties.
As always, the two-time defending champions are lurking, waiting to pounce if the price is right. Tucker's fit with the Dodgers on both sides of the ball is obvious. By adding Tucker, Teoscar Hernández could move to left field, where his poor defense plays a bit better. Landing Tucker might also open up avenues for a need-for-need trade involving other outfielders on the roster. Like with the Astros, a Tucker-Dodgers union probably only happens if he's ready to accept a short-term contract. The Dodgers generally prefer to make these deals happen on their terms - which is possible when you've just won two straight titles featuring a roster that's loaded with future Hall of Famers. Is L.A. Tucker's likeliest destination? Probably not. But count the Dodgers out of these sweepstakes at your peril.