The Dodgers may be cruising toward another NL West title, but the real question hanging over Los Angeles is what happens with Kyle Tucker after this season.
Tucker has been serviceable, just not close to the level the Dodgers had in mind when they handed him a four-year, $240 million contract. Through July 18, the 29-year-old has posted a 101 OPS and a .244/.340/.373 line, which is basically a hair above average at the plate.
The problem is the glove. His work in right field has been worth -5 outs above average, and that combination has left him at 0.9 fWAR – the kind of production that points to an average starter, not a franchise-altering bat.
That’s where the contract becomes the story. Andrew Friedman gave Tucker a deal with opt-outs after the second and third seasons, which means Tucker controls how long this partnership lasts.
The contract also includes a $64 million signing bonus and deferrals, bringing the AAV down from $60 million per year to $57.1 million. Even with that adjustment, it still stands as the largest post-deferral AAV in history.
For the Dodgers, the money itself isn’t the issue. They have the kind of financial muscle that can absorb a miss and keep moving.
But the structure of the deal hands the leverage to Tucker, and that’s the part that makes it risky. He’s set to be in Los Angeles next season, but after that, the decision is his alone.
If he rebounds and plays well in 2027, he can opt out and chase a bigger long-term payday. If his season keeps trending the way it has, he can simply stay.
Either way, the Dodgers don’t get much of a win.
That’s also why this kind of setup has been so rare for Friedman. Los Angeles has not often handed out opt-outs under his watch, and this contract shows exactly why.
The shorter two-year model with an opt-out after year one gives both sides a cleaner way to protect themselves. Stretch that idea over a longer deal, though, and the balance tilts heavily toward the player.
The Dodgers can live with a bad contract better than most teams can, but a roster spot tied up by an underperforming Tucker still matters. Even if he starts doing more than just scraping by, he remains in control of his future. For Friedman, the lesson is pretty clear: if he’s not fully sold on a long-term commitment, he should probably walk away.
In Other News…
Dodgers Deadline Focus May Have Shifted Away From The Big-Name Ace
As the 2026 trade deadline comes into view, the Dodgers are again being sized up as buyers, but the conversation may not center on the biggest name available. With the Mets looking like a club that could eventually sell, Los Angeles has a path to explore a pitcher who offers more than one way to help, especially for a staff that always seems to value flexibility as much as upside.
What makes the fit intriguing is not just the arm itself, but the shape of the commitment. A return from injury is expected before September, and the possibility of a player option for 2027 only adds to the appeal for a contender trying to balance the present with a little bit of control beyond it. If the Dodgers do pivot away from the splashier chase, this is the kind of under-the-radar move that could end up mattering in October. [Read more 🡒]
Dodgers Turn To Kyle Hurt As Yankees Doubleheader Plan Shifts
The Dodgers brought Kyle Hurt back up from Triple-A Oklahoma City for the night game of their doubleheader against the Yankees, giving them an extra arm as they pieced together a bullpen plan. It is a familiar sort of call for a team trying to navigate a long day, and for Hurt it comes after he was sent down earlier in July following a rough stretch on the mound.
Hurt has already been candid about the fact that his recent outings have not gone the way he wanted, but he is back in the mix and available for a role that could ask a lot of him quickly. For the Dodgers, the bigger question is how they manage the rest of the nightcap and who ends up absorbing the heavier innings load as the game unfolds.
Dodgers Nearly Pulled Off A Reunion Braves Fans Would Have Hated
The Dodgers spent part of the offseason weighing a move that would have brought Cody Bellinger back to Los Angeles, and the possibility was real enough to make them one of the finalists for his next contract. Bellinger, who once helped define a stretch of Dodgers baseball before moving on, confirmed there was some dialogue with the club as he worked through his free-agency options.
Instead, Bellinger landed with the Yankees on a five-year deal, closing the door on a reunion that would have stirred plenty of reaction around the league. For the Dodgers, it was another reminder that the winter market can get surprisingly close to a familiar ending before a player chooses a different path.