Where Kyle Tucker’s eye-popping -million-a-year Dodgers contract ranks in MLB history

Where Kyle Tucker’s eye-popping $60-million-a-year Dodgers contract ranks in MLB history


Kyle Tucker is going to be rolling in dough in Los Angeles.

Tucker, who turns 29 on Saturday, signed a four-year deal worth $240 million with the Dodgers on Thursday, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.

The contract, which comes out at $60 million per season, is set to be the largest average annual value in MLB history — excluding his teammate Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million-per-year deal, 97.1 percent of which is deferred from 2034-43.


Chicago Cubs’ Kyle Tucker (30) runs the bases after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of Game 4 of baseball’s National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Chicago. AP

Similar to Ohtani, Tucker’s deal is expected to have $30 million in deferrals, which puts the net present value of his contract at $57 million per season, breaking Juan Soto’s deal with the Mets by $6 million.

Soto is raking in $51 million a season until 2039 — if he chooses not opt out in 2030.

The Mets’ previous deals with future Hall of Fame pitchers Max Scherzer ($43.33 million) and Justin Verlander ($43.35 million) rank as the fourth- and fifth-largest AAV contracts of all time, respectively.

Ex-Met Zack Wheeler follows Verlander with $42 million per year after signing a three-year, $126 million contract with the Phillies last offseason.

Aaron Judge’s nine-year, $360 million contract with the Yankees comes in at $40 million per season, the most in Yankees history, and ranks seventh of all time.

Following their acquisition of Tucker, the Dodgers are now on the hook for a whopping $2.11 billion of guaranteed salary from 2026-47, according to Spotrac.


Shohei Ohtani looking on from the bench in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the World Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, center, looks on from the bench during the ninth inning in Game 7 of baseball’s World Series against the Toronto Blue Jays in Toronto on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. AP

Ahead of Tucker’s signing, the Dodgers were projected to have a luxury tax payroll approaching $350 million, according to Cot’s Contracts’ estimates.

Tucker’s deal also has implications of a potential lockout ahead of the 2027 season, as owners are expected to push for a salary cap.

Commissioner Rob Manfred was mum when discussing the upcoming labor negotiations, putting the ball in MLB Players Association director Tony Clark’s court.

“That’s a Tony Clark question, I mean, it really is,” Manfred said during an appearance on WFAN last week. “Until I got elected commissioner, all I did was labor relations. That’s how I made my living. I’ve never been in a negotiation where, before the first piece of paper went across the table, I, or anyone I represented, was out there saying, ‘This, we absolutely will not talk about.’

“I just think it’s a hard way to begin a negotiation.”



Source link

Posted in
Avatar photo

Hollywood Feature

we focus on highlighting the latest in Fashion, Business and Entrepreneurship. Showing fresh perspectives to the table and sharing stories that inspire growth and innovation.

Leave a Comment