The specifics of the Mets’ pursuit of four-time All-Star Kyle Tucker is starting to come into focus. According to a recent update from Will Sammon, league sources said that the Mets have offered Tucker a three-year deal in the range of $120 to $140 million.
This update is not surprising for a number of reasons, but it does give a concrete view on the team’s recent interest and pursuit of Tucker. After losing a number of core players this year, the Mets have remained relatively quiet, but their interest in Tucker has
been well-documented the past couple of weeks. The club has been called one of the three finalists for the 28-year-old, alongside the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers and the defending AL Champion Blue Jays. League sources had the Mets meeting with Tucker multiple times by video over the past week, as Sammon highlighted in his piece. He also added that a decision could come soon, potentially as early as this week.
In Sammon’s update from January 7, he mentioned that the Blue Jays are willing to go long-term for Tucker, which could put them in the driver’s seat; however, if the deal isn’t at the length that Tucker’s camp is looking for, he could bet on himself with a short-term, higher-AAV contract in the hopes of re-entering the market in a year or two and capitalizing on a strong year. David Stearns has always seemed particularly drawn to short-term deals, and with an owner who is not afraid to spend, this could give the Mets an in to solidify their lineup with another star player. Sammon specifies in his piece that Tucker’s specific contract demands, including dollars and length, are not known.
Tucker would fit perfectly on the Mets’ roster, taking over a left field vacated when the club traded Brandon Nimmo to the Rangers earlier this offseason. Tucker spent last year with the Cubs, where he slashed .266/.377/.464 with a 136 wRC+ and a 4.5 fWAR in 136 games. He hit 22 home runs for Chicago, scored 91 runs, drove in 73, and stole 25 bases as he was named to his fourth consecutive All-Star team. He also appeared in eight postseason games for Chicago, hitting .259/.375/.370 with one home runs for the Cubs, who were knocked out in the NLDS. He suited up for the Astros in his first seven seasons in the majors, where he hit .274/.353/.516 with 125 home runs, 365 runs scored, 417 runs batted in, and a 139 wRC+ in 629 games.
