Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers agree to 4-year, $240M deal

Kyle Tucker has agreed to a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, according to a person familiar with the matter, boosting the franchise’s chances of winning a third straight World Series championship.

The person spoke to The Associated Press Thursday evening on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical.

Tucker’s average annual value of $60 million would be the second highest in baseball history, excluding discounts, behind Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million under his 10-year contract with the Dodgers through 2033.

When healthy, Tucker is one of the best all-around players in the majors. But the 28-year-old outfielder has only played in 214 regular-season games over the past two years.

He hit .266 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs with the Chicago Cubs last season. He was acquired in a blockbuster trade with Houston in December 2024 that moved hitting prospect Cam Smith to the Astros.

Tucker was slowed by two injuries during his lone season with the Cubs. He suffered a small fracture in his right hand during an awkward slide against Cincinnati on June 1. He also sprained his left calf on September 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 was the designated hitter in the postseason 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 contract 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 to 2023. 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 due to a broken right tibia, 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 interceptions in 135 attempts.

AP reporter Ronald Blum contributed.