The Baltimore Orioles have been rumored to be in on a few of the top names this winter, and their two moves, trading for Taylor Ward and signing Ryan Helsley, are far from the only ones Mike Elias is planning to make.
After a failed bid for Kyle Schwarber, despite matching the $150 million, five-year deal he signed with the Philadelphia Phillies, Elias is shifting gears to another top free agent.
According to MLB Network insider Jon Morosi, the Orioles are taking a positive first step towards signing Kyle Tucker. While nothing is remotely close at the moment, it's the first sign that the Orioles are entering the Tucker sweepstakes this winter.
Orioles enter Kyle Tucker sweepstakes with significant first step
"The Orioles have spoken with Kyle Tucker's camp, as I reported with Jon Heyman on Bleacher Report today," Morosi reports. "Mike Elias drafted him in Houston."
Baltimore, by meeting with Tucker's camp, is entering the fray for the top outfielder available on the market this winter.
With the Toronto Blue Jays also strongly involved in Tucker's market, even hosting him at their Florida facility, the Orioles are facing some serious competition for Tucker.
But, after making a strong bid for Schwarber, one that was the same offer that Schwarber accepted elsewhere, Baltimore has a realistic chance of signing Tucker.
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While the former Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs outfielder is going to get a lot more than Schwarber's $150 million, the Orioles have shown a willingness to spend big this winter, and Tucker is deserving of such a deal.
This past season, Tucker had a.266 batting average with 22 home runs and 4.6 bWAR in 136 games. The 28-year-old is a four-time All-Star whose won a Gold Glove award and is also a career.865 OPS hitter.
Players like this don't come available often, and the Orioles, with their interest and recent first step towards making progress on a contract, are serious suitors for the superstar outfielder.
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