Report: Blue Jays have offered Kyle Tucker a long-term deal
Photo credit: © Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2026, 19:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 13, 2026, 19:44 EST
Kyle Tucker’s market has been zooming as of late.
After two months of the market moving like a snail, things have drastically picked up. Earlier on Tuesday FanSided’s Robert Murray reported that the New York Mets have offered Tucker a contract that is worth $50 million annually.
Well, on Tuesday afternoon, ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported that the Toronto Blue Jays have offered Tucker a long-term deal.
The Blue Jays’ interest has been well stated. Early in the off-season, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that executives viewed the Blue Jays as the favourites to sign him. In December, Murray reported that Tucker had visited the Player Development Complex in Dunedin, a short drive from Tucker’s home town of Tampa.
It was never going to be as easy as that, though. The Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers were always seen as a team that could pony up money to land his services, as the Dodgers landed Shohei Ohtani during the 2023/24 off-season and the Mets signed Juan Soto last off-season.
The difference between the Jays and the other two teams is that they’ve been reportedly willing to go long-term. Adding Tucker is not something that the Blue Jays can miss out on. George Springer and Daulton Varsho are free agents after the 2026 season, meaning that they’ll need to sign, trade for, or develop an outfielder. Adding Tucker mitigates that need.
Both trading and developing an outfielder seem like a possibility, but the 2026/27 free agent class is rather weak, with the best position player being Jazz Chisholm Jr. There’s also the potential of a lockout following the 2026 season, and who knows if there’ll be a salary cap implemented.
Adding Tucker would give them a left-handed batting outfielder that fits their system and can bat second in their lineup. Last season, Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs in 597 plate appearances for a 136 wRC+ and 4.5. He suffered a hair fracture in his hand on Jun. 1, and was slashing .283/.391/.520 with 12 home runs in 266 plate appearances (150 wRC+) before the injury.
It feels like a conclusion to the Tucker sweepstakes could come sooner rather than later, let’s just hope he ends up as a Blue Jay.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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