The Toronto Blue Jays had a magical 2025 postseason run that saw them one win away from securing the World Series over the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Nonetheless, with their window to win a championship being open, the Blue Jays’ front office could be looking to swing big this offseason. As a result, Toronto are reportedly one of the teams keen on Tucker to add another big bat to the team alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Amid the rumors, former MLB general manager Jim Bowden weighed in on the Tucker sweepstakes, noting that the Blue Jays need to get a deal done for the slugger.
“If [Tucker] joins the Blue Jays, he is their second-best player to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.,” Bowden said on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM. “I want star players to win championships. I want to have them. So yes, I need Tucker because he’s better than everyone you mentioned, but Guerrero…
“When you’re running a franchise like Mark Shapiro that’s representing the country of Canada, and you are one inch away from winning a world championship, it’s pedal to the metal, baby.
“You’re that close to winning. And if you have a chance to get Kyle Tucker, yes, get it done. And by the way, can you get Framber Valdez? Do that, too. [Can you] get Dylan Cease? Do that, too. So you’re that close. You got the money, you got the resources. Finish the job.”
Are the Blue Jays a Serious Contender for Kyle Tucker?
The GM Meetings in Las Vegas wrapped up on November 13 without any major moves, but one detail kept resurfacing. Among the teams showing the most interest in Tucker, the Blue Jays were the club brought up most often throughout the week, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
“You’ve heard the same teams named all week — the Yankees, the Phillies, the Dodgers. The one team I heard more than anybody else connected to Tucker was the Blue Jays,” Feinsand said during the November 13 edition of MLB Tonight.
“Obviously right now [the Blue Jays have] all the momentum in the world coming off the World Series appearance. … I think Tucker is certainly going to be in the mix there in Toronto.”
New York Teams Aren’t Likely Suitors for Kyler Tucker
While the Blue Jays are likely to have competition should they go all in for Tucker, MLB insider Jon Heyman doesn’t see either of the New York teams rivaling Toronto for one of the marquee free agents this offseason.
“I do think the Blue Jays are a definite bidder in this,” Heyman said in a video published on November 14 during an appearance on MLB Network about the potential suitors for Tucker. “We’ll see if they do get them. I could see the Dodgers, the Giants, and potentially the Phillies.
“You hear speculation about the New York teams, but I don’t see that. The New York teams have pretty good right fielders, right? They have Juan Soto and Aaron Judge. So I’m not seeing that. I don’t know—maybe somebody knows something I don’t know, but not for me.”
Tucker is coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded a .266 batting average, 22 home runs, and 73 RBI for the Chicago Cubs.
It will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays can secure a deal with Tucker and demonstrate to the rest of the AL East that they are looking to repeat as division champions in 2026.
