Are Mets a realistic landing spot for Kyle Tucker this offseason?

Does it make sense for the New York Mets to make a run at Kyle Tucker this offseason?

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The New York Mets are no stranger to making huge splashes since Steve Cohen took over as owner. With a seemingly endless supply of money, they cannot be ruled out when it comes to signing any player in free agency.

Last year, they flexed their spending power by signing Juan Soto. The two sides agreed to a historic 15-year, $765 million contract, the largest in sports history.

While it was a disappointing first year from a team standpoint as the Mets missed the postseason, Soto lived up to his end of the deal. He produced at a historic rate, carrying the Mets’ offense at times during the campaign.

This offseason, there is a lot of work to do when it comes to fleshing out the rest of the roster. Several holes in the lineup need to be addressed, including the outfield alongside their superstar right fielder.

Read More: 4 things the Mets must do this offseason

Could New York look to make a splash again with another young stud? Kyle Tucker is the crown jewel of this year’s free agent crop. At points, Soto was used as a comp for the kind of contract he could seek.

Mets ranked sixth among Kyle Tucker's top 10 landing spots

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A 15-year deal won’t be coming Tucker's way, but there is certainly a chance he will approach the kind of deal that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in April. Will the Mets be in on the Tucker race?

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report shared a ranking of the top 10 landing spots for Tucker this offseason. New York was placed at No. 6 because of their ability to spend and a need in the outfield.

However, it is fair to wonder just how realistic their odds of making a run at him are. The Mets do need an outfielder, but the preference would be someone capable of handling center field. Considering that they already paid Soto $765 million to be their franchise right fielder, bringing on another player who predominantly plays in the same outfield spot would make little sense when it comes to roster and spending balance.

Also, there are more pressing needs that will require massive financial commitments. First baseman Pete Alonso has already announced that he will be opting out of his contract and is seeking a long-term deal. Closer Edwin Diaz is likely going to follow suit.

Mets' pressing needs makes them an unrealistic Tucker landing spot

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Adding Tucker, especially if they cannot retain Alonso, would at least address New York's need for a middle-of-the-order bat. However, this would be a gaping hole in the infield. At the same time, replacing Diaz would become a monumental challenge after offering Tucker the kind of money it would take to bring him aboard.

An offense that was inconsistent at times would certainly benefit from adding a player of that caliber to the mix. However, there are more pressing needs on the roster beyond even Alonso and Diaz.

Bringing aboard an established veteran to anchor the rotation alongside their emerging youngsters is a must. With Gregory Soto, Ryan Helsley and Tyler Rogers hitting free agency, the bullpen could use some help as well; Reed Garrett recently underwent Tommy John surgery to further exacerbate this need.

The Mets have to be mentioned as a suitor because they can compete with any franchise in the money department. But Tucker feels like an unrealistic pipe dream for the team at this point. They would be better off spreading out their wealth across several spots than committing it all to one player.