Blue Jays’ offer for Kyle Tucker before Dodgers signing

The Toronto Blue Jays went all out to sign star outfielder Kyle Tucker this offseason, offering a huge 10-year, $350 million contract before he ultimately chose the Los Angeles Dodgers, who signed him to a 4-year, $240 million deal.

MLB insider Jon Heyman revealed Toronto’s offer for building a team that can compete for championships after their recent World Series defeat to the Dodgers. The back-to-back defending World Series champions managed to beat Toronto in a thrilling seven-game series.

“Blue Jays offer to Kyle Tucker was $350M for 10 years. They certainly put in a big effort. Still one of the biggest winter winners with all they’ve done,” Heyman wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Tucker, who turned 29 on Saturday, became one of the top free agents after turning down a $22.025 million qualifying offer from the Chicago Cubs. The Blue Jays hosted him at their spring training facility and saw him as a perfect fit alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., hoping to improve their lineup with his power and defense.

In the end, the Dodgers won “King Tuck” with a lucrative deal. The contract included opt-outs after the second and third years, a $64 million signing bonus, and $30 million in deferred money, giving a $60 million average annual value, second only to Shohei Ohtani.

The New York Mets were also seriously interested in bringing Tucker to Queens. Per Heyman and Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets’ final offer to Tucker was a four-year, $220 million contract.

Unlike the Dodgers’ deal, it did not include deferred payments. The Mets included opt-outs after the second and third years and offered a $75 million signing bonus, $11 million more than Los Angeles. The ball was in Tucker’s court, who chose Los Angeles for their championship-ready roster.

Meanwhile, the Mets didn’t waste any time and were quick to bounce back, as they signed ex-Blue Jay Bo Bichette to a 3-year, $126 million deal.

Toronto faced two big blows in the form of both Bichette and Tucker’s losses. Even without Tucker, they had a productive offseason. They signed pitchers Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and infielder Kazuma Okamoto to strengthen their lineup after the World Series.

The Blue Jays remain focused on long-term success, and Tucker was a near-miss in their plan to build an elite outfield. It is still not the end for Toronto, as they can go all out in the pursuit of Cody Bellinger and seriously hurt the division rival New York Yankees.

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