The New York Mets are stepping up their efforts to land free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker.

Tucker, whose market reportedly includes the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers, along with the Mets, has received an offer from the latter that would pay him $50 million per season on a short-term deal, as FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Tuesday. That supports an earlier report from The Athletic’s Will Sammon, which indicated the Mets’ proposal ranged between $120-$140 million over approximately three years.

Sammon also noted that Tucker could make his final decision later this week, with bidding expected to intensify over the next few days. The Mets’ latest efforts make them a strong contender to acquire the 28-year-old outfielder. But the Blue Jays and Dodgers are also believed to remain involved, with the Yankees closely monitoring the situation.

Toronto, in particular, has widely been viewed as the biggest threat to sign Tucker this off-season. Unlike Los Angeles or New York, they’ve shown a willingness to make a long-term financial commitment to the four-time All-Star, possibly cornering his market in that regard.

Tucker’s preference, however, is currently unknown. It’s unclear if he’d forgo something in the ballpark of $250-$300 million over eight-plus years in favour of a short-term, high-AAV deal — considering the second option could make him one of the sport’s highest-paid players.

Mets outfielder Juan Soto, whose 15-year, $765 million contract doesn’t include any salary deferrals (unlike Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million deal), owns the present-day record for the sport’s highest average annual value at $51 million. If the reporting around Tucker’s offers is accurate, he may ultimately come in just under that figure or even match it — and could have a chance to surpass it, too.

New York’s outfield, which already presented as a glaring weakness even before Brandon Nimmo’s departure, stands to benefit the most from Tucker’s potential arrival compared to Toronto and Los Angeles. And considering they’re supported by one of baseball’s richest owners, Steve Cohen, they possess the resources — and desperation — to make this a razor-thin race.