Dodgers held firm on 4-year offer to Kyle Tucker, who had a longer deal on the table

LOS ANGELES — Shortly after marquee free-agent signing Kyle Tucker was officially introduced as a Los Angeles Dodger on Wednesday morning, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman acknowledged the rarity of the circumstances of the contract, both from the player’s perspective and the team’s. “When we started the offseason and talking about various fits on the trade market, free-agent market, there was really nobody that moved our World Series odds for 2026 more than Kyle Tucker,” Friedman said. The Dodgers signed the top free agent in the class to a record-setting four-year, $240 million contract — despite Tucker having an offer for a longer deal on the table. The New York Mets offered four years and $220 million, along with a $75 million signing bonus. The Toronto Blue Jays took the length of the deal a significant step further, offering $350 million over 10 years. But the Dodgers held the advantage on multiple fronts. Los Angeles outdid the Mets’ proposed annual average value and lured Tucker with their All-Star roster and back-to-back titles — plus their favorable chances to win a third. Tucker’s present-day average value of $57.1 million ($30 million of deferred money was included in the deal) broke the record set by Juan Soto’s $51 million with the Mets in 2024. “This is an area that me, my wife and family saw ourselves being a part of and wanted to come out here and play, embrace the city, embrace the fan base,” Tucker said during his introductory news conference. “We took everything into account with our personal decisions, and we thought this was a great place to play and a great place to live.” While it certainly is not rare for the Dodgers to sign prized players, it is notable for any team to sign a top free agent on its preferred terms. For as much as the Dodgers liked Tucker, their stance on signing him to a mega-deal did not change throughout the winter. They would only sign Tucker to a shorter-term contract, citing a need to balance their dynasty window with sustainability. The Dodgers hoped something would shake out. But it wasn’t until the final days before landing him that they felt confident about a deal. Much of that uncertainty stemmed from a long-term deal also on the table. “I think when we’ve seen these kinds of shorter-term, higher-AAV deals, I don’t think they’ve ever come when they also had a really long, significant (offer) as well,” Friedman said. “Not that I can remember. Usually, guys take those shorter-term deals because a longer-term deal hasn’t materialized.” However, the Dodgers have built themselves up to the point where the conventional approach often takes a back seat. Tucker’s willingness to take their four-year deal over the Blue Jays’ 10-year offer says less about Toronto and more about the empire the Dodgers have constructed. Knowing that often allows Friedman to wait out the market. While the Dodgers remained in contact with Tucker’s camp throughout the offseason, it wasn’t until last week that they emerged with serious offers. Even then, they did not budge regarding the length of the contract. In Friedman’s eyes, ensuring the long-term viability of the team is as important as capitalizing on its peak. “In the short term, it’s easy to take the core talent we have in place, the nucleus that we have, and say, ‘Anything we can add to that.’ You don’t want to be flippant about what we have right now in this moment in time,” Friedman said. “That being said, we have to try to balance it with three, four, five years out. As the guys that are currently under contract get out … infusing young players over that time is going to be really important for us to be able to maintain.” It didn’t always work out this way for Los Angeles. In 2019, the Dodgers pitched Bryce Harper — the top free agent available — with a reported four-year, $180 million deal. The hope was to entice Harper, who was entering his age-26 season, with a chance to compete for a World Series. He could sign for significant money with a chance to return to the market as he approached his 30s. But Harper wasn’t sold on the concept and signed a 13-year, $330 million deal with the Philadelphia Phillies instead. Selling a destination becomes easier when your pitch includes consecutive World Series championships. That’s not to suggest the deal came together easily. The Dodgers had to make concessions. Tucker’s contract includes two opt-outs (after the 2027 and 2028 seasons), a clause that Friedman prefers to avoid. Tucker also came with a qualifying offer attached, meaning the Dodgers lost draft picks by signing him. That also happened when Los Angeles signed Edwin Díaz in December. Now, the Dodgers will pick just twice in the first six rounds of next year’s MLB amateur draft after forfeiting their second-, third-, fifth- and sixth-highest picks. “It was a real cost,” Friedman said regarding the lost draft picks. “I don’t think we’ve ever done this before. But I think the depth of our system put us in a position where, while the cost is still meaningful, it wasn’t as significant just because of the position we’re in.” As for including the opt-outs: “Obviously, any deal you’d prefer not to have an opt-out,” he said. “Generally, I think they are priced pretty poorly in the market, which is why we have avoided them by and large. In this case, it just made sense for a confluence of reasons.” Some of that reasoning relates to the age of the Dodgers’ core players. Freddie Freeman turns 37 this season. Mookie Betts turns 34. Shohei Ohtani is entering his age-32 season, and Will Smith will turn 31 shortly after Opening Day. The opt-outs allow Tucker, who turned 29 last week, to remain in control of his market as he enters his early 30s. It also allows the Dodgers to control their competitive window as their stars age. There is also a potential work stoppage looming, though Friedman downplayed the expiring collective bargaining agreement between owners and players as a factor in Tucker’s contract. While the Dodgers are operating under the parameters set by the current CBA, drastic changes could be coming. MLB owners are enraged by Tucker’s signing and are expected to push for a salary cap in negotiations, The Athletic reported. But until then, it’s business as usual for the Dodgers, who continue to thrive as baseball’s premier landing spot. Tucker’s contract is just the latest example. “This team, obviously, is very good,” Tucker said. “I’m just excited to be a part of that group and just trying to build myself up on a personal level, but also contribute with everyone else. Obviously, I think playing for a winning ballclub, which this team is, it just makes it a lot more fun. It makes it exciting to go out there every single day.”