The Los Angeles Dodgers are coming off winning back-to-back World Series titles, and the rich are getting richer with their reported signing of free-agent hitter Kyle Tucker.
On Jan. 15, ESPN reported, citing sources, that Tucker signed a four-year, $240 million contract to join the Dodgers. Moreover, the deal includes opt-outs after the second and third years, sources said.
Tucker’s $60 million average annual value is the second-largest for a player in MLB history, trailing only his new teammate, Shohei Ohtani ($70M).
With the Dodgers adding another big bat to their lineup, former MLB player Kevin Pillar shared his thoughts on why Tucker opted to go to Los Angeles over the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets amid links to both teams.
“They have a proven track record of making their players better,” Pillar said during a Jan. 15 appearance on “Foul Territory.” “They’re back-to-back World Series champs. They have a collection of riches. They have some of the best players in baseball.
“They have this guy by the name of Shohei Ohtani who doesn’t want to sign up to be his teammate. You know, a lot of people are going to sit here and say, ‘Dodgers are ruining baseball. It’s bad for the sport.’ But everyone has an opportunity to go out and bid for these players.”
The Dodgers Could Beat Any Team to Sign a Free-Agent
Moreover, Pillar believes that if any team is in on a free agent and the Dodgers are also in the mix, the chances of that said player ending up in Los Angeles are incredibly high, as the Mets and Blue Jays found out.
“If you are close to another team and the Dodgers are in it, there’s a chance the player is going to go to the Dodgers because of all those things I mentioned,” Pillar added. “And the Dodgers kind of just kind of been operating, with Kyle Tucker kind of in silence. You’ve kind of maybe always connected the dots.
“You could see how there was a fit, but at some point, you’re like, there’s no way they’re going to go out and get another player. And sure enough, the Dodgers do what they do. They go out. They changed the game again. The highest AAV ever for a player, for Kyle Tucker to go play right field and bat somewhere in that lineup, it’s crazy. Yeah, I didn’t see it coming, but I’m also not surprised.”
Kyle Tucker Won’t Need to Be a Star in Los Angeles
Tucker chose Los Angeles and a star-studded Dodgers team, which will allow him to be another player. The former Chicago Cub will be out of the limelight, which wouldn’t have been the case in New York or Toronto, where he would have been the No. 2 or No. 3 guy in the lineup.
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, he’ll be behind Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman. Tucker got off to a strong start with the Cubs, batting .280 with 17 home runs and earning his fourth All-Star selection.
He wrapped up the season with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs over 136 games, serving as the Cubs’ primary DH in the playoffs. After coming back from a hand injury, Tucker had a tough stretch at the plate, hitting .218 in July and .244 in August.
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