The Toronto Blue Jays got a great sign in their pursuit of star slugger Kyle Tucker.
Toronto has been linked to Tucker as the offseason crown jewel, recently visited their spring training facility. Although he’s from the area, it was still a good sign that he had visited the facility.
To make it even better for the Blue Jays, Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Tucker hasn’t visited their facility.
“Kyle Tucker has not visited the Yankees’ complex, Brian Cashman said. Tucker, who lives near Tampa, recently saw the Blue Jays’ facility in Dunedin,” MLB insider Bryan Hoch wrote on X.
The Yankees were considered a potential contender to sign Tucker, but given that the star slugger hasn’t visited the facility, perhaps their interest isn’t that much.
So, perhaps the Blue Jays are the front-runners to sign Tucker, which would be a massive boost to Toronto’s roster.
Tucker hit .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs last season with the Chicago Cubs.
Blue Jays Insider Details Offseason Plans
Toronto has been aggressive this offseason. So far, the Blue Jays have signed Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce to bolster their pitching staff.
The Blue Jays are now expected to pursue help on offense, as Toronto is interested in Tucker and/or bringing back Bo Bichette. Blue Jays insider Shi Davidi of Sportsnet believes the team could also look to add more pitching.
“Kyle Tucker’s visit to the Blue Jays’ Player Development Complex last week underlined the club’s approach on the position-player front. They also remain engaged with incumbent Bo Bichette,” Davidi wrote. “Bolstering the pitching staff has been their top priority this winter since they feel they don’t have gaping holes to fill in their lineup, leaving them to seek only clear upgrades.
“Both, quite obviously, qualify, but worth noting is that if they don’t land either, they can’t simply reallocate the money they would have spent elsewhere, as they’re being viewed as special opportunities.”
If Toronto signs Tucker or Bichette, it would bolster the team’s offense. The Blue Jays would also remain one of the top World Series favorites, as Toronto appears to be going all-in this offseason after reaching the World Series last season.
What Will Tucker Get in Free Agency?
Tucker is the top free agent available and could get over $400 million this offseason.
The superstar slugger has several teams interested in him, which should help his market. ESPN MLB insider Kiley McDaniel projects Tucker to sign an 11-year, $418 million deal this offseason.
“Tucker and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had long been circled as the two players who could potentially sign megadeals in this free agent class,” McDaniel wrote. “But Tucker is alone at the top since Vlad Jr. got his extension (14 years, $500 million) during the 2025 season. Tucker had some ups and downs to his 2025 season, (and polling of the industry) of his free agent market. I go into a lot of depth about the comparables and how the market values Tucker vs. Guerrero. …
“Every team knows what the “expected” contract is for these top players. A handful of interested teams aim for that target more or less, then run into competitive forces. And at least one team is willing to go a bit over the projection because of the lack of elite players available at any one time.”
Tucker is a four-time MLB All-Star.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Blue Jays Get Strong Sign in Chase for Top Free Agent as Winter Meetings Begin appeared first on Heavy Sports.