Blue Jays fans can’t fault the front office for not getting Kyle Tucker deal done

When the Toronto Blue Jays failed to seal the deal for top free agent Kyle Tucker last week, as he chose the Los Angeles Dodgers, many wondered what the offer was that the Blue Jays had on the table. After all, the New York Mets were willing to dish out a reported four-year, $220 million contract for Tucker before the Dodgers shut the door on everyone with a final four-year, $240 million deal for the top free agent.

But as the offer numbers for the Blue Jays finally trickled in following the aftermath of the Tucker deal, Toronto fans can't fault the front office for not getting a deal done with the 29-year-old star outfielder. According to MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Blue Jays were willing to give Tucker a massive 10-year contract that was worth $350 million in total.

Blue Jays fans can’t fault the front office for not getting Tucker deal done

Many may quickly jump on the fact that Tucker was being offered in the $55-60 million AAV range per season with either the Mets or Dodgers, as compared to "just" the $35 million AAV per season that the Blue Jays had on the table. So of course he would go with the team that was willing to give him the most money. After all, at $60 million AAV per year, it puts Tucker just behind Japanese sensation Shohei Ohtani as the highest paid annual salary player in all of baseball.

However, one has to take into consideration that the Blue Jays were the only team to offer a long-term deal to Tucker. In doing so, it would have given him job security over the next ten years without worrying about injuries or potential performance drop-offs. After all, Tucker was coming off a down season in 2025 with the Chicago Cubs in which he saw his overall offensive numbers fall a bit below his career averages across the board.

On top of that, the 29-year-old outfielder dealt with finger and calf ailments, causing him to miss more than 20 games on the season. This also comes after his 2024 campaign in which he suffered a right shin injury that put him out of action for almost three months that year. As a result, his overall production and durability in the proceeding years could be in question, which could potentially affect his next contract negotiations.

Moreover, in effect the Blue Jays did offer the most money, as the overall amount of $350 million would beat the Dodgers’ $240 million and Mets’ $220 million, even though the latter two are for six less years. Remember, the $350 million would be guaranteed money, whereas it could be hard to speculate what the market will be for Tucker once again in four years (or less) when potentially more attractive options become available in the market.

Blue Jays fans should acknowledge the brave attempt made by GM Ross Atkins in putting up a solid offer in an offseason where they have already committed over to $330 million in future salaries. Tucker may not have ended up choosing Toronto, but it did not come without a valiant push from Blue Jays management.