The New York Mets are pursuing superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker — and have made a short-term offer worth $50 million per season, sources say. John Mincone first reported the Mets’ offer.
Tucker, 29 on Saturday, is the consensus top free agent this winter and has drawn interest from numerous teams, with reports linking him to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays, among others. Tucker was spotted visiting the Blue Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla. in early December, as FanSided first reported.
Why the Mets and Kyle Tucker are a good fit
The Mets’ presence in the Tucker sweepstakes is noteworthy and makes sense. First, team owner Steve Cohen has the ability to outspend any team. They have a glaring need for another outfielder and bat after trading Brandon Nimmo and moving on from Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil. They have shown an ability to be disciplined in negotiations this winter, evidenced by the departures of Alonso and Edwin Diaz.
But to land Tucker, or any other high-end free agent, remember the old Andrew Friedman quote: “If you’re always rational about every free agent, you will finish third on every free agent.”
Tucker, meanwhile, is among the best players in baseball. He’s won a Gold Glove in the outfield. He can steal bases, stealing at least 25 bases in three of the last four seasons. He’s coming off a season with the Chicago Cubs in which he hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI despite playing through a small fracture between his ring finger and pinky. And in each of the last five seasons, Tucker has posted at least 4.2 fWAR (he posted 4.9 fWAR from 2021 through 2023).
Tucker would singlehandedly change the narrative surrounding a frustrating offseason in Queens. And by making a short-term offer worth $50 million per season, it underscores that Tucker’s market is starting to heat up.
