Dodgers strike again, land Tucker, sources say

The World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers got even better Thursday night, landing prized free agent Kyle Tucker , sources told ESPN's Jeff Passan. Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, was the top free agent bat on the market. He'll join a star-studded Dodgers team -- which could be the perfect fit for the laidback Tucker. Financial terms of the deal weren't immediately known. When healthy, Tucker is one of the best left-handed hitters in the league, but his last two seasons have been marred by injuries -- including a fractured right hand and a calf strain that suppressed his second-half numbers with the Chicago Cubs in 2025. Tucker was tendered a $22.025 million qualifying offer by the Cubs, which he declined by the Nov. 18 deadline. Because he signed with a new team, Chicago will receive a compensatory selection after the Competitive Balance Round B in the draft, around the 75th pick. He was fantastic in the first half of the season with the Cubs, hitting .280 with 17 home runs while being named to the All-Star team for the fourth time. But he only finished with 22 homers and 73 RBIs in 136 games for the season while being the Cubs' primary DH in the playoffs. After returning from the hand injury, Tucker struggled at the plate, hitting .218 in July and .244 in August. The hand injury suffered in June could have impacted his unique swing as he hit an inordinate amount of ground balls while recovering from the fracture. He's been a solid 5 WAR player since 2021 with only those injuries holding him back from even better seasons. Defensively, Tucker didn't have his best year in 2025, but he's a previous Gold Glove winner who won't hurt a team in the outfield. He has decent speed, which shows up on the bases as well as he's averaged more than 20 stolen bases over the last five seasons, including 25 last year despite the late leg injury. Tucker, whom the Cubs acquired via trade from the Houston Astros prior to last season, won't be the most outspoken player in the Dodgers clubhouse but has shown the ability to fit in with any group.

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