The Toronto Blue Jays have been in hot pursuit of superstar free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker over the last few weeks.
As Tucker’s decision draws closer, the Blue Jays seem to be facing competition from just two other teams. Those two teams are none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Mets.
Right now, Toronto appears to have an inside track to sign Tucker. With the Dodgers not being extremely aggressive in their pursuit to this point and the Mets offering a shorter deal than the Blue Jays, all signs point to Tucker landing in Toronto.
With that being said, a new update has been shared about when he could make his decision.
According to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post on “MLB Tonight,” Tucker is most likely going to choose his next team before the weekend.
Robert Murray of FanSided has also reported that there only appear to be three teams interested in total. No mystery team has been thrown into the mix.
“Usually, at this point in the offseason, or even before this, we hear about a mystery team being involved, and we haven’t heard that yet,” Murray said.
What Kind of Deal Are the Toronto Blue Jays Offering Kyle Tucker?
ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan has mentioned that Toronto seems willing to go up to 10 years on its offer to Tucker. That would be a massive investment into any player, but the Blue Jays seem to be going all-in on him.
As for the Mets, they seem to be offering a four-year deal worth around $50 million per season. That offer could be intriguing to Tucker, as it would allow him to explore free agency again much sooner while still in a productive portion of his career.
The Dodgers have been a bit more mysterious. Their offer doesn’t seem to be close to 10 years. They prefer a shorter-term agreement as well.
Toronto appears to be willing to give Tucker the most aggressive offer on the market. Whether or not that will result in him signing remains a question mark.
Tucker Would Immediately Improve the Blue Jays’ World Series Chances
Should the Blue Jays sign Tucker, that would signal the end of Bo Bichette’s time with the team. Perhaps Toronto could shock the world and bring Bichette back as well, but that is almost certainly not going to happen.
Despite losing Bichette, the Blue Jays would immediately become a more serious contender.
Last season with the Chicago Cubs, Tucker hit 22 home runs to go along with 73 RBI and a slash line of .266/.377/.464 in 136 games despite dealing with injury issues. He is one of the best bats in baseball.
Bringing him onboard, coupled with the presence of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., would give Toronto one of the most lethal one-two punches in all of baseball for years to come.
Expect to hear more about the Blue Jays and Tucker in the near future. There is a chance another team could end up getting Tucker, but Toronto has to feel good about its chances right now.
Blue Jays, Kyle Tucker Rumors Receive Major Update From MLB Insider