Blue Jays Reportedly Have Sizable Long-Term Offer On Table for Kyle Tucker
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked all offseason long to the top free agent on the market in Kyle Tucker, and over the last week or so it seems things are starting to come to a head.
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As Toronto likely moves away from a potential reunion with Bo Bichette as other teams begin to circle, the need for Tucker increases despite already having committed over $300 million to the pitching staff. The Blue Jays are hungry for an offensive star, and Tucker is the best one available.
On Tuesday, it came out that the New York Mets have a staggering short-term offer on the table for the slugger which reaches an AAV of $50 million, though the amount of years is not exactly clear.
According to a new report in the wake of the Mets news, while the Mets have a huge short-term offer on the table, an ESPN report has confirmed that Toronto has put a long-term offer in front of Tucker's camp.
Blue Jays Reported to Have Significant Lengthy Offer on Table for Tucker
"Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, continues to field offers after he declined a $22.025 million qualifying offer by the Chicago Cubs following the season," the report read after including the news about New York's lucrative short-term offer. "Sources told ESPN that the Toronto Blue Jays have also made a long-term offer to Tucker, who is one of the best left-handed hitters in the league."
The exact terms of Toronto's offer were not made clear, however Tucker was expected to receive offers for term lengths of around a decade going into the offseason. In all likelihood, the deal on the table would be for eight or nine years in the range of $300 million.
Will it Be Enough for Blue Jays to Sign Tucker?
Ultimately, Toronto has been seen as the favorite here all offseason long for a reason. Generally speaking, players would prefer the long-term security of an offer like that over a high AAV short-term deal like the Mets have been reported to be offering.
Given that he has not signed yet with both deals on the table -- and likely some others as well -- it seems Tucker's camp may be trying to squeeze some more money out of the Blue Jays on the long-term deal while a short offer is a bit more cut and dry.
This will come down to whether Tucker wants to hit free agency again two or three years down the line after he has turned 30 years old and have one last chance to cash in versus spending the rest of his productive years in the same place.
If New York really is only interested in a short-term deal, you'd have to feel pretty strongly about where Toronto stands in the negotiation process and their chances to sign the four-time All-Star. Time will tell if they land the plane or not this time around, but it seems this process is nearing a conclusion here over the coming weeks.
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Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.