The market for Kyle Tucker has started to gain some clarity over the past week.
The Blue Jays, Dodgers and Mets are believed to be the three main teams involved in the bidding for the free-agent outfielder. According to a report on Sunday night from Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM, Tucker has now met with all three of those teams, either in person or via video.
Duquette initially reported last week that those three clubs had emerged as the most aggressive suitors for Tucker. Their interest was later confirmed by multiple reporters, including MLB Network insider Jon Heyman.
Toronto has been the team most often linked to Tucker this offseason, and The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reported on Jan. 6 that it was becoming more aggressive in its pursuit. Longtime Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette is still available as well, but the chances of a reunion appear to be fading after the Blue Jays signed infielder Kazuma Okamoto.
Around the industry, the Blue Jays have long been viewed as the most likely team to offer Tucker a long-term megadeal, while the Dodgers and Mets are thought to favor a shorter-term agreement with a higher average annual value.
Coming off a narrow World Series loss to the Dodgers, the Blue Jays have been one of baseball’s most aggressive clubs this offseason, signing starters Dylan Cease (seven years, $210 million) and Cody Ponce (three years, $30 million) and reliever Tyler Rogers (three years, $37 million) before landing Okamoto on a four-year, $60 million deal.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have added closer Edwin Díaz (three years, $69 million) to the mix and also brought back World Series Game 7 hero Miguel Rojas (one year, $5.5 million) as they gear up to chase a third straight championship.
Marcus Semien, Devin Williams, Jorge Polanco and Luke Weaver comprise the Mets’ additions, but their offseason has been characterized more by their departures, including Pete Alonso, Brandon Nimmo, Jeff McNeil and Díaz.
Based on outfield projections for 2026, the Blue Jays and Dodgers both seemingly have a greater positional need for Tucker than the Mets. But given the magnitude of their departures, the Mets arguably have more at stake in the Tucker sweepstakes than the other two teams.
Adding another dimension to the Tucker bidding? Outfielder Cody Bellinger. He also remains on the market and has been connected to the Mets, Dodgers and Blue Jays, too.
The Yankees have been trying to bring back Bellinger, but the two sides are reportedly at an impasse. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported on Saturday that the Yankees are now operating under the assumption that Bellinger will sign elsewhere. It remains to be seen if the Bronx Bombers will pivot to Tucker or perhaps zero in on Bichette, another free agent who has been linked to the Yanks recently.
Tucker spent 2025 with the Cubs after being acquired from the Astros in a December 2024 trade, but the club has not given any indication that it is seriously pursuing a reunion. Its chances of re-signing Tucker appear even slimmer following its addition of Alex Bregman, who agreed to a five-year, $175 million deal with Chicago on Saturday night, according to a source.
