Kyle Tucker agrees to a $240
million, 4-year contract with the World Series champion Dodgers
[January 16, 2026]
By JAY COHEN
Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with
the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the
deal, bolstering the team's chance for a third consecutive World
Series championship.
Tucker can opt out of the deal after years two and three, according
to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on
condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
Tucker's $60 million average annual value would be the
second-highest in baseball history, without factoring in deferred
money, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with
the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
Tucker becomes the latest accomplished veteran scooped up by the
deep-pocketed Dodgers, who will have seven of the majors’ 29 biggest
contracts by average annual value in 2026. Los Angeles’ previous big
move of the offseason was signing former New York Mets closer Edwin
Díaz, widely considered to be the best reliever on the free agent
market, to bolster their subpar bullpen.
The Dodgers will welcome Tucker’s exceptional bat for the heart of
their order, but he also fixes one of their few roster deficiencies
as an everyday corner outfielder after Michael Conforto and several
others largely struggled last season in left field. Tucker seems
likely to play right field for Los Angeles, allowing the club to
move Teoscar Hernández back to left.
The Mets and the Toronto Blue Jays, who lost to the Dodgers in last
year's World Series, were believed to be in the mix for Tucker's
services. “Let me know when you see smoke,” Mets owner Steve Cohen
posted on X on Thursday, before following with a second post
clarifying that he was “waiting for a decision.”
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the
majors. But he played in just 214 regular-season games over the past
two years.
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last
season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in
December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
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Chicago Cubs' Kyle Tucker runs the bases after hitting a solo home
run during the seventh inning of Game 4 of baseball's National
League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Oct. 9, 2025,
in Chicago. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File)
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone
season with the Cubs. He sustained a small fracture in his right
hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also
strained his left calf against Atlanta on Sept. 2.
After getting off to a fast start with his new team, Tucker hit just
.231 with five homers in 41 games after the All-Star break. He
served as Chicago's designated hitter in the playoffs as the Cubs
eliminated San Diego in the first round before losing to Milwaukee
in a five-game NL Division Series.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying
offer in November, so his new deal means the Cubs will get a
compensatory draft pick — likely in the No. 77-80 range.
Tucker was selected by Houston with the No. 5 pick in the 2015
amateur draft. He played in three World Series with the Astros,
winning a ring in 2022.
He hit at least 29 homers and drove in at least 92 runs for three
straight seasons from 2021-23. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led
the AL with 112 RBIs in 2023.
He was limited to 78 games in his final season with Houston because
of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49
RBIs.
The Tampa, Florida, native is a .273 hitter with 147 homers, 490
RBIs and an .865 OPS in 769 career games. He also has 119 steals in
135 attempts.
___
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum and AP Sports Writer Greg Beacham
contributed to this report.
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