Kyle Tucker has agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the deal, bolstering the franchise’s chance for a third consecutive World Series championship.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because the agreement was pending a physical.
More Top Picks Coleman Snap N Go Review
Tucker’s $60 million average-annual value would be the second-highest in baseball history, not factoring discounting, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million in his 10-year deal with the Dodgers that runs through 2033.
When healthy, Tucker is among the best all-around players in the majors. But the 28-year-old outfielder has played in just 214 regular-season games over the last two years.
He batted .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved slugging prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.
Tucker was slowed by a pair of injuries in his lone season with the Cubs. He suffered a small fracture in his right hand on an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also strained his left calf on Sept. 2.
After getting off to a fast start with his new team, Tucker hit just .231 with five home runs in 41 games after the All-Star break. He served as the designated hitter in the playoffs as the Cubs eliminated the San Diego Padres in the wild-card round before losing to the Milwaukee Brewers in a five-game NL Division Series.
Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, rejected a $22,025,000 qualifying offer in November, so his new deal means the Cubs will get a compensatory draft pick.
The Astros selected Tucker with the No. 5 pick in the 2015 amateur draft. He played in three World Series with the Astros, winning a ring in 2022.
He hit at least 29 home runs and drove in at least 92 runs for three straight seasons from 2021-23. He won a Gold Glove in 2022 and led the AL with 112 RBIs in 2023.
He was limited to 78 games in his final season in Houston because of a fractured right shin, but he hit .289 with 23 home runs and 49 RBIs.
The Tampa, Fla., native is a .273 hitter with 147 home runs, 490 RBIs and an .865 OPS in 769 career games. He also has 119 steals in 135 attempts.
More Top Picks Best Pool Filters
AP reporter Ronald Blum contributed.