The Los Angeles Dodgers enter the final stretch of the Winter Meetings with one lingering possibility that refuses to fade: a run at Kyle Tucker. The Dodgers already made their biggest splash by landing Edwin Diaz, but league insiders keep wondering whether Andrew Friedman has one more move in him. Tucker fits their timeline, their roster, and their need for a middle-of-the-order bat. The question is whether the terms will ever align.
Kyle Tucker holds strong negotiating power. Last season, he hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBI, stacking numbers onto a resume that already includes four All-Star selections and a World Series championship with the Houston Astros. He brings quiet confidence and a steady presence, qualities that would blend easily into a clubhouse full of established stars. For the Dodgers, the draft-pick cost is small: only their third- and sixth-highest 2026 selections. For a franchise this deep, that’s barely a hurdle.
A superstar fit for the Dodgers, but only on their terms
The real obstacle sits in contract structure. The Dodgers are unlikely to offer Kyle Tucker a six- or seven-year commitment. Instead, the front office prefers a shorter three- or four-year deal with a high AAV, similar to the three-year, $120 million contract Alex Bregman signed with Boston last spring. Edwin Diaz’s recent deal only reinforces that approach. Los Angeles paid a premium for elite talent but kept the long-term flexibility they value. That path carries risk for both sides. Tucker may want stability. The Dodgers may resist opt-outs, though this Winter Meetings could test that stance.
Even so, Andrew Friedman did not shut the door. “I would say we definitely can,” he said Tuesday when asked if the Dodgers could sign another major free agent. “Whether that makes the most sense within the timing of our roster — there are so many factors that go into it, and any decision you make has a future cost. Weighing that — yes, we can. How likely it is is probably another question.”
If Tucker becomes the next star to walk through Dodger Stadium, how far could it push the Dodgers’ chase for another title?
