At the beginning of the offseason, it appeared that only the big-market teams would have a chance of signing the top free agent, outfielder Kyle Tucker.
Though big market MLB clubs have the best chance, given that the four-time All-Star could receive a $400 million contract this winter, there's another surprise team that could enter the mix.
On Monday's episode of Foul Territory, reporter Ken Rosenthal said that he wouldn't rule out the Baltimore Orioles in the Tucker sweepstakes. The Orioles' president of baseball operations, Mike Elias, was the Houston Astros' scouting director in 2015 when the AL West club drafted Tucker.
"For that reason, I can at least see their interest; I can also see them spending more money than they did even last offseason," Rosenthal said. "I'm not saying the Orioles are going to be in there deep for Kyle Tucker, I don't know that they will, they have other priorities, but yeah, they could be a team that resurfaces, yeah."
Tucker could help the Orioles in more ways than one
The Orioles have what looks to be a bright future ahead of them despite a disappointing 2025 season. Gunnar Henderson has shortstop locked down for the foreseeable future, and Jackson Holliday showed signs of why he went first overall in the 2022 MLB Draft.
But Baltimore could use another power hitter to pair with Henderson as their division becomes stronger. The Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, and New York Yankees could all win a World Series as soon as next year. Adding a bat like Tucker to the Orioles' lineup could increase their chances of contending in the AL East.
Both the Dodgers and the Yankees, two of MLB's bigger-market teams, also reportedly have interest in signing Tucker. The Dodgers could use a corner outfielder, and the Yankees would like to pair Aaron Judge with another superstar.
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