The New York Yankees entered the offseason confident that they were firmly in the race for Kyle Tucker, but the landscape is shifting. As the dust settles from the GM Meetings in Las Vegas, one team keeps generating louder and louder buzz: the Toronto Blue Jays. And they aren’t just showing interest—they’re building real momentum.
All week, insiders expected the Yankees, Phillies, and Dodgers to emerge as the primary suitors for Tucker. Instead, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand heard the Blue Jays’ name more than anyone else, which changed the tone of the entire conversation.
Blue Jays Push Hard After World Series Run
Toronto carries something no other team in the Tucker chase can match: the emotional and financial momentum of an American League pennant. They came one game away from winning the 2025 World Series, and that near-miss has energized their front office.
Feinsand explained the growing buzz during an appearance on MLB Tonight.
“You’ve heard the same teams named all week—the Yankees, the Phillies, the Dodgers,” Feinsand said. “The one team I heard more than anybody else connected to Tucker was the Blue Jays. They have all the momentum in the world coming off the World Series appearance.”
MLB Network and New York Post insider Jon Heyman backed up that assessment and called the Blue Jays a “definite bidder.” He noted that the Cubs, Tucker’s 2025 team, likely will not match the massive contract he will command. Chicago rarely spends at that level, and Tucker’s market already sits beyond their comfort zone.
Meanwhile, Toronto looks ready to swing aggressively. They want another superstar beside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. If they lose Bo Bichette in free agency, replacing him with a four-time All-Star like Tucker could instantly stabilize the franchise’s long-term path.
The recruiting effort has even gone public.
Toronto outfielder Myles Straw jumped directly into Tucker’s Instagram comments after Tucker and his wife announced they are expecting their first child. Straw wrote that Tucker should join the Blue Jays and joked that he would help babysit. The two spent several years together in Houston, and Tucker stood as a groomsman at Straw’s wedding. Personal connections often influence these decisions as much as money.
Why the Yankees Should Worry
The Yankees still sit near the top of the pursuit, but the tone surrounding the sweepstakes has turned. Toronto acts like a team preparing for its defining move. New York cannot ignore that energy.
Tucker fits the Yankees perfectly: a lefty slugger with elite defense, strong baserunning instincts and a prime that overlaps with Aaron Judge. New York knows he can transform the lineup. But the Blue Jays feel that urgency even more.
They reached the World Series. They tasted the edge of a championship. Now they believe a player like Tucker can push them all the way.
Tucker’s 2025 campaign reinforced that belief. He hit .266 with 22 home runs, 25 steals, 25 doubles and an .841 OPS for the Cubs while earning another All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger Award. Any contender can use that kind of balanced production, but the Blue Jays see him as a potential final piece.
The Yankees remain fully engaged in the chase, but Toronto controls the early momentum. If the Blue Jays land Tucker, they won’t just upgrade their roster—they’ll directly weaken the Yankees’ path to the AL East crown.
And right now, the noise around Tucker keeps flowing north.
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