Inside the New York Mets path to landing Kyle Tucker: How the rich get richer

The New York Mets will always be connected to the best free agents with Steve Cohen, the richest owner in the league, running things, but not all of the superstars are ideal fits. Kyle Tucker, at the beginning of the offseason, was an example of that. Sure, he's an MVP-caliber player, but he's also a corner outfielder. With Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto entrenched in the two corner outfield spots, a Tucker pursuit didn't make much sense. Now, after the shocking trade that sent Brandon Nimmo to the Texas Rangers, Tucker is a much better fit.

It is now very realistic to peg the Mets as a Tucker suitor. Here's how they can get a deal done with this offseason's crown jewel.

The latest Kyle Tucker rumors and why the Mets make sense

As expected, Tucker's market hasn't really taken off yet. Oftentimes, we don't see the best player in a free agency class sign until the Winter Meetings at the earliest. With those taking place next week, it figures to be at least a week until Tucker makes his decision, and possibly longer.

Tucker has been linked to the Mets a decent amount, often in the same breath as the second-best outfielder of the free agency class, Cody Bellinger. This would make it feel rather likely that the Mets end up with one of those two outfielders. Both would be good fits, but in my view, Tucker should be the top priority.

Despite dealing with injury virtually the entire second half, Tucker ended the 2025 season with a 143 OPS+ and 4.5 fWAR. He's recorded at least 4.0 fWAR in each of the last five seasons. When healthy, he's a legitimate superstar, and at only 28 years of age, Tucker should have at least five elite seasons left in him.

Bellinger would add far more defensive value, and that could make him more of a fit in David Stearns' eyes, but while run prevention is important, run creation is as well. Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor cannot create enough offense by themselves, and while Bellinger is coming off a strong offensive season, he's been incredibly inconsistent in recent years. You know you're going to get elite production from Tucker, and the same cannot be said about Bellinger.

What has to happen for the Mets to sign Kyle Tucker

Mets have to embrace the luxury tax

To sign Kyle Tucker, first and foremost, the Mets are going to have to embrace the luxury tax. This means they're going to have to be comfortable adding the $300+ million he's certain to make on top of the already hefty payroll that they have. Can they do this? Absolutely. Again, Steve Cohen is the richest owner in the sport. Still, even he, is going to have limitations. It's entirely possible that he does not want to add yet another massive long-term commitment on top of the ones they have with Lindor and Soto.

There are ways they can lessen the luxury tax hit, whether it's by deferring some money or giving Tucker additional years, but regardless, he's going to cost a very pretty penny. Are the Mets ready to pay what it'll take?

Mets would have to sacrifice a little defensively

Another thing the Mets will have to embrace is going with offense over defense. We've seen Stearns do this before with Soto, but Tucker is not the hitter Soto is. Tucker was once really good in the field, but is probably average at this stage of his career. We just saw the Mets trade Nimmo for a defensive-minded infielder, Marcus Semien. Would they be willing to replace Nimmo with Tucker, a better hitter, but similar defender right now, as Nimmo, especially knowing that Soto, possibly the worst defensive outfielder in the league, plays in the other corner?

This is why some think Bellinger is the better fit. Bellinger isn't the hitter Tucker is, but he is a Gold Glove-caliber defender in both corner spots. They might not gain as much on the run creation front, but would gain more when discussing run prevention. Are the Mets comfortable sacrificing defense for offense, or will they prioritize the better defender, Bellinger, over Tucker?

The Mets expressing a willingness to sacrifice some defense in exchange for Tucker's bat and a willingness to splurge on another massive free agent would make envisioning the veteran in a Mets uniform much easier.

Where the Mets really rank among Kyle Tucker's suitors

Given their need in the outfield and Steve Cohen's wallet, the Mets have to be considered one of the favorites in the Tucker sweepstakes. With that being said, there are at least three teams who have as good a chance, if not a greater one, to sign him.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees have a glaring need in their outfield, too, with Bellinger a free agent. Re-signing Bellinger could be their priority, but why re-sign Bellinger when Tucker is available for the taking if you're Brian Cashman? Having Tucker and Aaron Judge hit back-to-back would be really tough for opposing teams to beat. It all comes down to their willingness to spend more money to sign Tucker.

Toronto Blue Jays

The American League champion Toronto Blue Jays signed Dylan Cease, and nothing suggests they're close to slowing down. They could use another bat with Bo Bichette hitting free agency, and while re-signing Bichette is an option, why not go the extra mile for Tucker? It's clear that the Jays have money to spend, and as great as Bichette is, Tucker is a tier above as a hitter. It might've been easy to overlook Toronto in the past, but it feels as if they're as attractive a destination as any in the league right now.

Los Angeles Dodgers

There's a very good chance that the rich will get richer. One of the few weaknesses the Los Angeles Dodgers had in 2025 was in their corner outfield, so Tucker is an obvious fit. The Dodgers have seemingly unlimited money, and adding Tucker to their stacked roster would give them the best possible chance to three-peat. Ultimately, this will come down to how badly the Dodgers want to build the most talented team in MLB history. Adding Tucker to what they've got might give them that title.