Kyle Tucker Joins the Dodgers

Kyle Tucker will be active in Los Angeles soon.

The 29-year-old outfielder signed a massive four-year deal with the Dodgers, valued at $240 million, just recently. This was confirmed by Jon Heyman from the Post.

His contract, averaging $60 million per season, marks the highest yearly average in MLB history, aside from teammate Shohei Ohtani’s staggering $70 million annual agreement. Interestingly, 97.1% of Tucker’s contract extends from 2034 to 2043.

Like Ohtani, there’s a deferral of $30 million in Tucker’s contract, which shifts the net present value to about $57 million per season, surpassing Juan Soto’s contract by $6 million.

If Soto doesn’t opt out in 2030, he’ll earn $51 million annually until 2039.

Before this, the Mets had contracts with notable pitchers Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, sitting at $43.33 million and $43.35 million, making them the fourth and fifth highest annual average contracts in history. Meanwhile, former Mets player Zach Wheeler has an annual salary of $42 million after signing a three-year deal with the Phillies last season.

Aaron Judge’s contract with the Yankees, worth $360 million over nine years (which is $40 million per season), is the largest in Yankees’ history and holds the seventh position in the all-time rankings.

With Tucker on board, the Dodgers have committed to a whopping $2.11 billion in guaranteed salaries spanning from 2026 to 2047.

Before they secured Tucker, the Dodgers had projected their luxury tax contributions could hit around $350 million.

Tucker’s deal also comes with a potential lockout looming ahead of the 2027 season, as team owners are likely to pursue a salary cap.

Regarding future labor negotiations, Commissioner Rob Manfred has been rather quiet, essentially leaving the matter to MLB Players Association Director Tony Clark. “That’s a Tony Clark question; it really is,” he commented during a recent appearance. “Negotiations will likely be challenging.”