Dodgers Make a Splash with Kyle Tucker Signing, Leaving Baseball World in Awe
The Los Angeles Dodgers have once again made a significant splash in the free agent market, signing slugging outfielder Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract. This move has sent shockwaves throughout the baseball world, with many analysts and fans crying foul over the team’s lavish spending.
The contract, which includes a $64 million signing bonus and $30 million in deferred payments, has an average annual value (AAV) of $57.1 million, surpassing the previous record held by the New York Mets’ Juan Soto. Tucker, who was considered the prize of this free agency class, will also have the option to opt out of the deal after the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
A Familiar Playbook for the Dodgers
The Dodgers’ front office employed a strategy similar to the one used in signing first baseman Freddie Freeman and starting pitcher Blake Snell in recent years, waiting for the market to dwindle before making a generous offer. This approach has allowed the team to plug the only hole in its lineup with another superstar, further solidifying their position as a dominant force in the league.
As ESPN analyst Jeff Passan noted, “Fans feel like this game is unfair.” However, Times columnist Bill Plaschke countered, “So what? Who cares? If three consecutive titles blows up the game, so be it. The Dodgers’ only responsibility is to their fans, and they have more than fulfilled their civic duty, and that’s all that matters.”
Kyle Tucker rounds the bases after homering for the Cubs during Game 4 of National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers.
(Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press)
A Look at the Numbers
Projections early in the offseason put offers for Tucker at around $400 million over 10 years, but the only team that reportedly entertained a deal that long was the Toronto Blue Jays. The New York Mets made an offer close to that of the Dodgers, but Tucker opted for L.A. The average annual value (AAV) of Tucker’s contract is a record $57.1 million, blowing past the previous highs set by the Mets’ Juan Soto ($51 million) and the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani ($46.06 million) the last two offseasons.
Ohtani is now Tucker’s teammate, as are amply paid stars Mookie Betts, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Freeman, and Snell. The Dodgers’ estimated competitive tax payroll of $402.5 million is more than the combined spending of the A’s, Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians, and Miami Marlins.
