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After failing to sign Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto earlier—to name just a few—the Toronto Blue Jays were hoping to land this winter's most sought-after free agent: Kyle Tucker.
Instead, the star outfielder signed a four-year, $240 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, adding yet another layer of pain to the blow Blue Jays fans had suffered at the hands of the California team just a few weeks earlier.
And Tucker himself explained the reasoning behind his decision to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
I was just trying to make the most of the rest of my career. You don't play this game forever, so I was trying to make the most of it where I thought was the best place for me and my family. That was California.
The Blue Jays were in the running until the very end, however, with Tucker having kind words for the Toronto organization.
I never ruled them out until something was finalized. I was looking forward to seeing which team I'd end up signing with. Obviously, they have great fans, a great stadium, and a very good team.
Tucker had been given a tour of the Jays' player development facility in Florida and had many Zoom calls with the team during the offseason.
Kyle Tucker on FA talks with #BlueJays, Toronto's pitch, and something he's always grateful for:https://t.co/qYm1GnVYq5
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) April 8, 2026
According to Bannon, even Blue Jays players got involved in recruiting Tucker, including Ernie Clement, who flew to sunny Florida for a round of golf and, in the process, answered any questions Tucker might have had about the Blue Jays.
Tucker's former teammates with the Houston Astros, George Springer and Myles Straw, also offered to help him with any questions he might have.
Toronto's approach and the 10-year, $350 million contract nearly won over the 29-year-old. But in the end, the New York Mets and the Dodgers offered shorter contracts with higher annual salaries, and the Dodgers walked away with the prize.
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