Report: Blue Jays viewed as favourites to land Kyle Tucker according to rival executives
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Nov 18, 2025, 12:15 ESTUpdated: Nov 18, 2025, 12:19 EST
When was the last time the Toronto Blue Jays were considered a favourite for the top free agent?
Sure, they were finalists for both Shohei Ohtani and Rōki Sasaki, and were in the hunt for Juan Soto. However, they were never considered the favourite to land those players. It seems like it’s a different case for Kyle Tucker. In an article for ESPN, Jeff Passan noted that rival executives view the Blue Jays as the favourites to land Tucker. The full quote is as follows:
“The Blue Jays, coming off their first World Series berth in more than three decades, have no plans to slow down. They are considered the favorite by other executives to land Tucker.”
Adding Tucker’s bat to the lineup would be huge for the Blue Jays. Last season with the Chicago Cubs, he slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs in 597 plate appearances for a 136. That tends to be his career norm, although Tucker usually hits 30 home runs. He’s also an adequate defender in right field and is capable of stealing 25 bases a season. Tucker rarely strikes out and works counts; he’d fit the team like a glove.
Passan notes that Tucker will earn at least $300 million in free agency (as long as he signs a long-term contract), and even says $400 million is possible. Time will tell where the outfielder will end up, but hopefully it’s the Blue Jays.
Other notes from the article
There’s a possibility that the Blue Jays sign multiple nine-digit contracts this off-season. Another interesting point from the article is that Passan believes that signing Tucker and Bichette is a possibility. Interestingly, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported that the Blue Jays’ biggest priority is re-signing Bichette. Feinsand also reported on Monday, after Josh Naylor re-signed with the Seattle Mariners, that Bichette is the next favourite to re-sign.
If the Blue Jays are unable to land Tucker, their pivot could be going after Cody Bellinger, according to Passan. The 30-year-old isn’t the same hitter he was when he won the National League MVP in 2019, but he still had a productive 2025 season with the Yankees, slashing .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs in 656 plate appearances. His 29 home runs were the most since that 2019 season, albeit he played at Yankee Stadium.
Passan also linked the Blue Jays to Kyle Schwarber, noting that they are looking for a left-handed batter for the lineup. That said, it’s hard to imagine a fit for Schwarber even if he was a finalist for the NL MVP award this season, as Springer is set to play DH, and Anthony Santander could move in there the following season.
In terms of pitching, Passan didn’t link the Blue Jays to any particular starter, but noted that they’re looking at the best players available, such as Dylan Cease, Tatsuya Imai, and Framber Valdez.
Time will tell what happens this off-season, but expect the Blue Jays to be incredibly active, even more so than in the past few off-seasons.
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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