LOS ANGELES – When it comes to the best talent available in free agency, never count out the Dodgers. Especially if they buy a three-peat bid.
The Dodgers and outfielder Kyle Tucker are in agreement on a four-year, $240 million contract, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand on Thursday night. The club has yet to confirm the deal, which includes opt-outs after the second and third years, a $64 million signing bonus and $30 million deferred, according to multiple reports.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, was considered the best player this offseason. He turned down a qualifying offer from the Cubs, meaning he will receive a draft pick in compensation. The Dodgers will lose their third and sixth top picks in the upcoming Draft after they lost their second and fifth top picks and $1 million in their international bonus pool as punishment for signing closer Edwin Díaz earlier in the season.
It’s a steep price to pay, but the Dodgers see the need to make a move when they have the opportunity to bring top-level talent into the fold. Just as they made the decision to bring in Díaz, the back-to-back World Series champions addressed their remaining major need in a positive way.
Here is the Dodgers’ proposed full-strength lineup including Tucker:
DH Shohei Ohtani
SS Mookie Betts
1B Freddie Freeman
C Will Smith
RF Kyle Tucker
LF Teoscar Hernández
3B Max Muncy
CF Andy Pages
2B Tommy Edman
One of the game’s most complete offensive threats, the outfielder combines elite plate discipline with strong contact skills and extra power, as well as enough baserunning savvy to make an impact with his legs, too, although he’s not very fast.
As of 2020, Tucker’s first year as a regular major league player, he ranks ninth in the Majors with a 143 OPS+ (minimum of 500 games played). He also became one of six players to record at least 100 home runs, 100 stolen bases and 300 walks in that span and did so with the second-lowest strikeout rate (15.4%) of anyone on the team. Only 10 position players have produced more WAR (per FanGraphs) than Tucker’s 25.2 over the past six years.
Selected fifth overall by the Astros in the 2015 MLB Draft out of Tampa’s HB Plant High School, Tucker spent his first eight years with Houston before being traded to the Cubs in December 2024. His emergence was key in helping the Astros stay on a winning streak after losing several top players in free agency. He made three All-Star teams during his time with the club and won a World Series title in 2022.
Traded to Chicago for his final year before free agency, Tucker got off to an impressive start with his new team, hitting .291/.396/.537 with 17 homers through his first 82 games. He earned his fourth consecutive All-Star selection as a result, earning one of the National League’s first spots in the fan vote.
However, Tucker suffered a long slump in July and August while playing with a hairline fracture in his right thumb, an injury he suffered on June 1. Just when he appeared to be turning the corner, he sustained a strained left calf that sidelined him for most of September and limited him to DH duties during the Cubs’ playoff run, which came out of the NLD.
It was somewhat reminiscent of last year, when injuries ruined what would have been his best season. Tucker sprained his right shin on June 3 and was sidelined for more than three months. Before entering the IL, he was tied for second in the Majors with 19 homers and ranked fifth in hitters with a .979 OPS.
The Dodgers were looking to add an outfielder this offseason, and Tucker should take over in right, moving Teoscar Hernández to left while keeping Andy Pages in center. Tucker didn’t break out as an elite righty who was -2 above average last year, but he should be better than Hernández, who was -9 OAA eligible, fourth worst among professional righties.
Offensively, the Dodgers played well in 2025, but there were some clear weak points. They started at a .299 clip (26th in MLB) and hit at a 23.7% clip (20th). Tucker should help lift the local team in both, as he walked (87 times) almost as often as he struck out (88) last season. He had a .377 on-base percentage and a 14.7% strikeout rate, which ranked in the 85th percentile among eligible Major Leaguers.
Adding Tucker comes with steep penalties, even without factoring in his high price tag. Committing to him is a decision the Dodgers did not make lightly. But they’re not afraid to spend when it comes to talent they believe can push them over the edge, and Tucker is just that.
