With Kyle Tucker agreeing to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays are now adjusting their free agency strategies. The deal, confirmed by ESPN’s Jeff Passan, removes Tucker from the market, forcing both teams to reconsider their roster plans ahead of the upcoming season.
Prior to Tucker’s agreement with the Dodgers, both the Mets and Blue Jays had presented offers, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. Tucker’s commitment to the Dodgers, a team fresh off consecutive championships, solidifies Los Angeles’s high payroll, which now totals approximately $2.1 billion, marking a significant investment in their roster.
Toronto and New York Focus on Alternative Free Agent Options
With Tucker no longer available, the Blue Jays appear to be targeting the re-signing of Bo Bichette to strengthen their lineup. Meanwhile, the Mets are keeping an eye on Cody Bellinger, who is also in negotiations to potentially stay with the New York Yankees.
Bellinger delivered solid numbers last season, batting .272 with a .334 on-base percentage and slugging .480, along with 29 home runs and 98 runs batted in across 152 games for the Yankees. Bichette, on the other hand, matched a career-best batting average of .311, while posting a .357 on-base percentage and .483 slugging mark, supplemented by 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 139 games.
Contract Talks and Competition Intensify for Bichette and Bellinger
The Yankees reportedly offered Bellinger a five-year contract worth between $155 million and $160 million, as reported by The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. This proposal did not include deferred payments but might feature opt-out clauses. However, an impasse remains over the contract length, with Bellinger aiming for a seven-year deal.
Meanwhile, Bichette faces competition not only from the Blue Jays but also the Philadelphia Phillies. MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki noted that the Phillies held a virtual meeting with Bichette recently, seeking to engage him in contract talks. According to Matt Gelb of The Athletic,
“the Phillies might be the only team willing to extend to six, seven or eight years to sign Bichette.”
Implications for Mets and Blue Jays Lineups Moving Forward
Both the Mets and Blue Jays initially targeted Tucker to add power to their batting orders, given his career batting average of .273. Now shifted in their approach, these teams must weigh their willingness to offer longer terms to secure key players like Bichette and Bellinger amid a shrinking pool of available free agents.
As Kyle Tucker heads west to join the reigning champions, New York and Toronto face crucial decisions on how to shape their rosters to remain competitive in the forthcoming season.
Kyle Tucker's four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons, sources tell ESPN.
An enormous windfall for the best free agent available. And the champs get even better. @ByRobertMurray was on top of the money.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) January 16, 2026
