Kyle Tucker picks Dodgers over Mets & Blue Jays

The Dodgers have made themselves quite comfortable in the deep end of the free agent pool. First came the signing of closer Edwin Díaz to a record-setting contract, and now comes outfielder Kyle Tucker, the top free agent on the market, per multiple reports.

Jeff Passan was first to report the pact.

Tucker has topped four Wins Above Replacement in each of the last five seasons (and was on pace for more than that in the 60-game 2020 season as well), averaging 5.1 bWAR and 4.7 fWAR from 2021-25. He’s one of the game’s most consistent producers, which vaulted him No. 1 in offseason free agent rankings at ESPN, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, MLB Trade Rumors, Baseball Prospectus, and MLB.com.

After seven years with the Astros, Tucker was traded to the Cubs last winter and hit .266/.377/.464 with a 136 wRC+, 22 home runs, 25 doubles, and 25 stolen bases in 136 games in 2025.

Right field is where Tucker has started 90.5 percent of his career games in the field, and he hasn’t played another position in the field since 2021. He’s the kind of player for whom the Dodgers would consider moving Teoscar Hernández, who was the subject of trade rumors this week that were downplayed by the front office.

“Could he move to left? Potentially, but I will say from my eye test, the last game in Colorado his right field defense was at least average,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Hernández, to reporters at the winter meetings. “We’ll have conversations, but I do think with the versatility potential and how we shape this roster, there are some options. But right now, he’s our right fielder.”

Tucker turns 29 in January, and joins 25-year-old center fielder Andy Pages as the only regular Dodgers position players younger than 30.