Big Spender To Join Kyle Tucker's Pending Free Agency Sweepstakes

Next winter, Kyle Tucker is set to land potentially the third- or fourth-largest contract in baseball history. The Chicago Cubs went all-in in trading for the pending free agent from the Houston Astros this past winter, and so far, it's paying great dividends: The Cubs are in first place in the NL Central, while Tucker is tearing it up with 10 homers, 10 stolen bases and a .932 OPS, leading the way.

But after watching the Toronto Blue Jays hand Vladimir Guerrero Jr. an outrageous $500 million contract last month, the price tag for Tucker — a more consistent elite performer — could reach insane heights.

It's unknown at this point whether the Cubs will be ready to go into the $400 or $500 million range to re-sign Tucker, but we do know of at least one big-spending team who certainly isn't scared off by those numbers...

According to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Los Angeles Dodgers (surprise, surprise) will throw their (very expensive) hat in the ring.

The Los Angeles Dodgers plan to jump into the free-agent fray for Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker this winter. They may not be the high bidder, but they’ll surely keep everyone honest just as they did when they were in the Juan Soto sweepstakes.

The Soto bidding wound up going to an all-time high of $765 million, with the only other team that would be considered to spend in that category, the New York Mets, reeling him in.

Truth be told, if there were one area that the Dodgers could use another superstar, it would be in the outfield. With Mookie Betts settled in at shortstop, aside from the currently injured Teoscar Hernandez, the Dodgers' outfield mainly consists of Michael Conforto (.153 avg.), James Outman (.067), the also-injured—and overachieving—Tommy Edman, and the young and inexperienced Andy Pages.

Tucker has a career .275 average with an .874 OPS and a 140 OPS+. He has 135 HR and 104 SB in his eight-year career.