Blue Jays may need to offer Tucker the most money to beat out other interested teams

The Toronto Blue Jays are beginning to enter the home stretch of the offseason and they need to act accordingly. They haven't made a ton of earth-shattering moves in recent weeks, but there is still time to put the finishing touches on a brilliant winter.

The latest developments surrounding free agent Kyle Tucker are largely unchanged from a report last week that identified three main suitors for the outfielder. It remains unclear if Tucker has pivoted to a short-term deal at this stage of the offseason, but the Blue Jays have always positioned themselves as being able to reel in Tucker on a long-term deal. They may want to further augment those efforts.

According to former MLB GM Jim Duquette, "...the three main teams involved in the Tucker negotiations (Tor, LAD, NYM) have all met with the player, either in person or over Zoom, as part of the recruiting process for a star player. Will be interesting to see if any of the 3 teams increase their offers soon to separate themselves from the other."

Blue Jays may need to offer Tucker the most money to beat out other interested teams

Blue Jays fans are growing nervous because its been a while since Tucker visited their Spring Training complex in Florida. Plus, Tucker obviously hasn't yet signed the contract offer that Toronto seemingly gave him a while ago, making some fans wonder if he really wants to play in Canada.

In any event, the Blue Jays still regard Tucker as their top priority and theoretically have an offer on the table which demonstrates that level of commitment. The time is now for Toronto to make Tucker an offer he can't refuse by blowing the other competition out of the water.

Tucker still fits on the Blue Jays roster perfectly fine. GM Ross Atkins has talked about how further roster additions could reduce playing time for a handful of other really good players, but bringing Tucker into the mix is still the most important goal of this offseason. The Blue Jays could use more certainty in the outfield given the impending free agent departures of George Springer and Daulton Varsho.

The market for Tucker has been increasingly difficult to peg because of his uneven performance recently. While he posted a 154 OPS+ from 2023-2024, Tucker backslid slightly while battling a nagging hand injury during the second half last season. In 414 plate appearances before the All-Star break, he posted a .284/.387/.504 and a 147 wRC+. In 174 regular season plate appearances following the All-Star break, he only slashed .231/.360/.378 with a 115 wRC+.

Would Tucker be interested in a shorter deal with opt-outs to build back his value? Or would he rather simply get his years and dollars and put this whole saga to rest?

The Blue Jays historically have always been in a position where they have to pony up extra dollars to sign coveted free agents. That remains true even if they have become a more desirable destination for players and their families. Toronto needs to blow away the competition and give Tucker the deal he was seeking when the winter first began.

Of course, it's possible Tucker has pivoted to seeking a short-term deal. The free agent may feel that he will make more money after a better platform season. He may also feel like he can make more money as a free agent in a less competitive talent marketplace. Looking at the free agents next winter and beyond, there would be a clear distinction between Tucker and everyone else.

If true, then Toronto needs to make that adjustment in their negotiations with the outfielder. The last thing Toronto needs is to fumble this free agent at the five-yard line. The offense needs a boost even after performing at such a high level last season. The best cure for that would be officially introducing Kyle Tucker as the newest member of Canada's only baseball team.