Kyle Tucker Next Team: Who Will Sign Top Free Agent?

Welcome to the Kyler Tucker offseason.

Tucker, who will turn 29 in January, is a free agent after one campaign with the Chicago Cubs (and seven years with the Houston Astros before that). He’s considered the top free agent in the market, meaning he will earn the biggest contract this offseason.

Although he’s unlikely to land a contract similar to Juan Soto’s $765 million deal last year, Tucker should command a hefty payday. Tim Britton of The Athletic projects Tucker to earn a 12-year, $460 million contract.

As a result, there is a short list of teams that can afford to sign Tucker this offseason.

Kyle Tucker Next Team Odds & Favorites

BetMGM doesn’t provide odds on Tucker’s next team, but it’d be fair to assume that only the teams with the biggest payrolls have a shot at landing him.

The Los Angeles Dodgers, who are coming off back-to-back World Series championships, begin the offseason by leading the list of MLB teams with the highest payrolls. They seem motivated to add younger talent to their core, so it’d be fair to project them as the favorites to sign Tucker.

The New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Mets all project to be in the mix. They are all 11th or better in projected payroll for the 2026 campaign, a sign they are willing to spend to add talent.

For a dark horse, keep an eye on the Kansas City Royals. They desperately need outfield production and reportedly inquired about Soto last winter. Perhaps they’d be willing to make a bigger splash at roughly $300 million less.

Still, I’d consider these teams as the favorites to land Tucker (in this order):

• Dodgers
• Blue Jays
• Yankees
• Mets
• Phillies
• Giants
• Cubs

Kyle Tucker Next Team Prediction: Dodgers to Land Star OF

It might not be fun for most fans, but I’m predicting that Tucker will sign with the Dodgers this offseason. It just makes too much sense on paper.

For one, the Dodgers need younger talent, especially in the outfield. They were the oldest team in baseball last year. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the aging process, but the Dodgers’ best players aren’t getting any younger.

According to Roster Resource at FanGraphs, the Dodgers’ top seven hitters in their lineup are all over 30 years old. Mookie Betts recently turned 33 and is being asked to play shortstop at his age. Freddie Freeman, who is 36, posted a 3.5 bWAR last year, which was his lowest mark in a full season since 2015.

If the Dodgers want to maximize their window during the final seasons of Shohei Ohtani’s prime, they need to add more talent. They also need better outfield play after Teoscar Hernández posted a wRC+ of 102 last year.

Los Angeles has done an excellent job of assessing the market in recent seasons. The Dodgers weren’t willing to spend so much on Soto last year, but they could be more interested in Tucker at a better cost.

Tucker has consistently been between 4.6 and 5.5 bWAR for five straight seasons. He’d slot right in as one of the top players in the Dodgers’ lineup, but he wouldn’t face the pressure of being the team’s star.

It’s a match that makes a lot of sense for both sides.

Prediction: Dodgers