3 reasons Bellinger may be a better fit for the Blue Jays than Tucker

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker all offseason, but they would be better served to pursue Cody Bellinger instead. It’s easy to envision either slugger in Toronto’s lineup next season. Bellinger is a better value signing, would weaken their AL East rivals, the New York Yankees, and is the superior defensive player.  

The Blue Jays’ front office has been more aggressive than any other MLB team over the past month-plus, having committed $277 million to free agent pitchers Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. General Manager Ross Atkins has indicated that they’re not done yet and would like to add position players, with Tucker and Bo Bichette the most obvious candidates. 

Why Bellinger is a better fit for the Blue Jays

Signing Bellinger would be much more affordable than the terms of the contract Tucker is expected to sign. The latter is projected to sign a deal of up to ten years and in the $350 million-plus range, while the former will likely sign for less than $200 million and no more than five years. These are terms the franchise has been more comfortable with historically. 

Despite recent reports that Bellinger is also seeking a contract in the $400 million range, there just doesn't seem to be a market for that kind of deal. A lot of those reports just reek of Agent Scott Boras trying to drive up the numbers for his client. He represents Bellinger, but not Tucker, however it's not unreasonable to think that if Tucker does get $400 million, Bellinger's price could go up, but nobody is expecting it to jump by that much.

Regardless, Bellinger’s appeal goes far beyond his contract status. Not only would the 30-year-old vastly improve the Blue Jays’ roster, but he’d also subtract from the chief competition in their division, the Yankees. The lefty masher is coming off a terrific 2025 campaign, where he slashed .272/.334/.480 with 29 home runs, 98 RBI, and a 5.1 bWAR in 152 games.

He was one of the Yanks’ best players and a big reason why they tied the Blue Jays with 94 wins. The separation between the two clubs was narrow last season; nabbing Belli away from the Bronx Bombers may give Toronto a distinct edge. 

Bellinger’s defensive talents are the final piece of the puzzle. He’s consistently been an above-average defender at all three outfield positions and at first base, achieving a 3.2 dWAR over his nine-year career, compared to Tucker’s 1.0 over eight years. He had nine defensive runs saved (91st percentile) and seven outs above average (93rd), while Tucker had zero DRS (53rd), and -2 OAA (26th).

The former MVP brings the kind of versatility, durability, and experience this win-now Blue Jays team needs.