Kyle Tucker has agreed to a $240 million, four-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, a person familiar with the matter said, bolstering the team’s chances of winning a third consecutive World Series title.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Thursday night because the agreement was pending a medical examination.
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Without factoring in discounts, Tucker’s average annual value of $60 million would be the second-highest player in baseball history, trailing only Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million 10-year contract with the Dodgers (through 2033).
When Tucker is healthy, he is one of the best all-around players in the majors. But the outfielder played only 214 regular season games over the past two years.
He batted .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs last season with the Chicago Cubs. He was acquired in December 2024 in a blockbuster trade with Houston that transferred rookie Cam Smith to the Astros.
Tucker’s lone season with the Cubs was slowed by two injuries. On June 1 against Cincinnati, he slightly fractured his right hand during an awkward slide. He also strained his left calf during the game against Atlanta on September 2.
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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 postseason, as the Cubs eliminated San Diego in the first round before losing to Milwaukee in the five-game National League Division Series.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, turned down a $22,025,000 qualifying offer in November, so his new contract means the Cubs will receive compensatory draft picks.
Tucker was selected by Houston with the fifth overall pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He went to three World Series with the Astros and won a championship ring in 2022.
From 2021-23, he hit at least 29 homers and drove in at least 92 runs in three consecutive seasons. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the American League in 2023 with 112 RBIs.
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He played only 78 games in his final season in Houston due to a broken right calf, but he hit .289 with 23 homers and 49 RBIs.
The Tampa, Fla., native is a .273 hitter with 147 homers, 490 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 769 career games. He also finished with 119 tackles in 135 snaps.
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AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum contributed to this report.
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Associated Press MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB