DODGERS SHOCK: Reports say the Dodgers aren’t expected to offer Kyle Tucker a massive 10-year contract this offseason, sending speculation and debate into overdrive. Analysts are weighing how this decision could alter the team’s long-term strategy and roster construction. Every move, hint, and whisper now carries high stakes as the league watches for the Dodgers’ next big play.. ll

The Los Angeles Dodgers have flexed their abilities to grab top free agents over the past several seasons, and are unsurprisingly linked to this offseason’s big names.

Kyle Tucker is among them, and understandably so. The outfielder would fit nicely with the Dodgers, filling the vacant outfield spot they have after Michael Conforto’s departure into free agency. While he is among the game’s best hitters and is a clear upgrade for the Dodgers, ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reports the Dodgers aren’t interested in the big, lengthy contract analysts expect Tucker to land in the winter.

“The Dodgers have been and will continue to be linked to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, though industry sources believe they’ll only get heavily involved if his market doesn’t materialize,” Gonzalez wrote. “The Dodgers are open to adding another bat, and doing so makes the most sense in the outfield, but they are not expected to go into the 10- or 12-year space for Tucker.”

Tucker broke out for the Houston Astros in 2021, hitting 30 home runs and recording 92 RBIs in his first full season at the MLB level. He continued on his tear the following season, making his first All-Star Game and reaching 30 home runs once again.

He has at least 20 homers in each of his last five seasons, and has made the All-Star Games in the last four. He is, without a doubt, among the best free agents available this offseason, but the Dodgers could still look towards other players if they want to avoid a long-term contract.

Who Else Can The Dodgers Put in The Outfield?

Tucker isn’t the only outfielder the Dodgers have been linked to this offseason, with former MVP Cody Bellinger’s name also surfacing as a candidate. The Dodgers let Bellinger walk in 2022, and he has once again become a solid bat over the past few years away from LA.

While still expensive, Bellinger would likely not command the same contract length and price as Tucker.

The Dodgers also have options internally, moving Triple-A left fielder Ryan Ward to their 40-man roster after the end of the World Series.

Ward spent all season with Triple-A Oklahoma City, winning the Pacific Coast League’s MVP award after hitting 36 home runs and recording 122 RBIs. He had a .937 OPS across 143 games with the Comets.

Tucker is still the most exciting name of the three, but the Dodgers have plenty of options if their links to the All-Star fall apart.