Former Yankees Superstar Reluctant to Criticize Kyle Tucker, Dodgers

Jul 16, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees former players Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter and Boston Reds Sox former player David Ortiz look on before the 2024 MLB All-Star game at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers had the most expensive roster in MLB history last season with a $417.3 million payroll and are on track to again exceed $400 million in 2026.

After winning a second consecutive World Series title, the Dodgers capitalized on relatively soft markets for Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker.

Díaz signed a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers, well short of a five-year deal he was projected to receive after declining a player option with the New York Mets. Díaz's new contract with the Dodgers nevertheless set an MLB record as the highest average annual value for a relief pitcher.

The Dodgers then struck roughly one month later by signing Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract. Even when factoring in the $30 million in deferred salary, Tucker set an overall MLB record with present-day AAV of $57.1 million.

Alex Rodriguez understanding of Dodgers

If there's a player who can relate to signing lucrative, record-breaking contracts that brought about lofty expectations, it's Alex Rodriguez.

He was part of Yankees teams that regularly led MLB in payroll and for that reason told Sportico it would not be fair for him to take issue with Tucker or Dodgers organization as a whole.

"I'm thrilled for Tucker. Anytime players work hard, they have a short window to make their money. And I'm very happy for Tucker.

"Listen, it would be so hypocritical for me to dog the Los Angeles Dodgers when I played for the New York Yankees and we were spending more money than anybody.

"When a team does well, Mark Walter and Todd Boehly, they've done a phenomenal job. In many ways, they've been role models for my (business) partner Marc Lore and I, to do all the right things. The fans follow, the winning follows and everything else falls out."

Before becoming a poster child for the Yankees' lavish spending, the first mega contract Rodriguez signed was with the Texas Rangers in December 2000.

His 10-year, $252 million contract at the time was the richest deal in sports history. The total value was more than $2 million of the amount then-Rangers owner Tom Hicks paid to purchase the team in 1997 from a group led by George W. Bush and Rusty Rose.

Rodriguez received a $10 million signing bonus that was paid in annual $1 million installments, and his deal also included deferred salary.

Structuring contracts to include deferrals is a strategy that has drawn the Dodgers undue criticism considering it is within the parameters of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and is an approach other teams us.

In February 2004, Rangers traded Rodriguez to the Yankees for Alfonso Soriano and Joaquín Arias as they looked to get out from the remaining years on his deal. That came after the MLB Players Association vetoed a trade that was going to send the reigning American League MVP to the Boston Red Sox.

Then in December 2007, the Yankees signed Rodriguez to a 10-year, $275 million contract after he opted out of the deal signed with the Rangers. That set a new MLB record for richest contract.

Under his initial agrement reached with Texas and paid in part by New York, Rodriguez was paid $185.45 million over seven years.