Will Kyle Tucker Sign With Dodgers? Latest Rumors on Pursuit Amid MLB Free Agency

The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly could be in the mix for free-agent outfielder Kyle Tucker if he decides to consider shorter-term offers.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Katie Woo of The Athletic, a source said the Dodgers are unlikely to offer Tucker a six- or seven-year contract, but they would be open to a higher-dollar deal in the three-to-four-year range.

Rosenthal and Woo noted that the Dodgers could become players for Tucker if he has interest in a deal similar to the three-year, $120 million contract that third baseman Alex Bregman signed with the Boston Red Sox last offseason.

L.A. is coming off back-to-back World Series titles, and it has already been busy this offseason, signing closer Edwin Díaz to a three-year, $69 million deal.

Two offseasons ago, the Dodgers signed two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and acquired starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

They followed that up by signing starting pitcher Blake Snell and reliever Tanner Scott to significant deals last offseason.

Entering this offseason, the Dodgers' biggest areas of need appeared to be the bullpen and outfield, and since they have already signed Díaz, signing an outfielder could be next on the agenda.

The Dodgers re-signed Teoscar Hernández and signed Michael Conforto to a one-year deal to fill out their outfield around center fielder Andy Pages, who had a breakout campaign with 27 home runs and 86 RBI.

Hernández delivered to the tune of 25 homers and 89 RBI, but Conforto hit just .199 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI, meaning there is room in the L.A. outfield for a full-time starter.

Tucker would be the most significant addition possible to the outfield, as the 28-year-old veteran is a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, one-time Gold Glove Award winner and one-time World Series champion over eight MLB seasons with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs.

The Astros traded Tucker to the Cubs last offseason, and he helped Chicago return to the playoffs by slashing .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, 91 runs scored and 25 stolen bases.

Overall, Tucker has three seasons with 29 or more home runs, three seasons with 25 or more steals and two seasons with 100 or more RBI to his credit.

Tucker would give the Dodgers another big bat in a stacked lineup that already includes Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, and it would likely widen the gap even more between the Dodgers and the rest of the league.

However, since Tucker is the best free agent available and firmly in his prime, it is fairly difficult to envision him turning down a massive, long-term contract in favor of signing a much shorter deal, even if it is with the reigning world champs.