The Dodgers recognize a glaring offensive need despite their championship run. Despite winning the World Series, the Dodgers posted a minus-eight run differential and a .203 batting average with a .658 OPS. This is where Kyle Tucker enters, who is widely considered the best offensive player available. But the financial situation around Tucker’s upcoming contract shows how much more expensive top talent is getting.

At just 28 years old, Tucker has hit .266 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs for the Cubs this season. This was his fifth straight year with 20 or more home runs. Expectedly, the four-time All-Star is now the most desirable free agent in baseball.

Tim Britton of The Athletic says that Tucker’s negotiating position has gotten a lot stronger since two big deals were made: Juan Soto’s $765 million deal with the Mets and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 14-year, $500 million extension with the Blue Jays. Britton notes that Tucker’s production is about 75% of Soto’s value.

According to Britton, “Seventy-five percent of Soto’s $51 million AAV would be just over $38 million per season.” That math puts Tucker on a 12-year, $460 million deal, which is a number that catches the attention of owners around the league.

Now, taking a look at the Los Angeles season, they were only behind in raw offensive production. Adding Tucker would fill the hole in the outfield and make an already strong lineup even stronger. But then again, if Tucker signs, there will be more arguments about whether MLB needs a salary cap.

The Pirates only spent $84 million on payroll in 2025 while the Dodgers spent $350 million. That gap makes it hard for smaller teams to compete. The Dodgers went on a spending spree in the last two offseasons and were expected to sweep the World Series. And now, winning it for a second consecutive time reignited the debate over whether MLB should implement a salary cap.

But after winning the NLCS, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke out against his critics.

“Before this season started, they said, The Dodgers are ruining baseball. Let’s get four more wins and really ruin baseball!”

The real question, however, is whether the league should set limits on how much teams can spend. It’s difficult to answer, though!

The Mets have spent $342.4 million but haven’t won a World Series in a while. The Yankees have spent about $305.2 million and haven’t won since 2009. So, just having money doesn’t mean you’ll win championships. Still, the Los Angeles Dodgers have a real advantage because they did dominate the season again!

Blue Jays position themselves to challenge Dodgers’ dominance

The argument over the salary cap gets stronger than other teams see what the Dodgers have shown: getting top players is still the best way to win in October. Toronto is at this very crossroads after losing a heartbreaking WS Game 7 to Los Angeles. The Blue Jays won the American League, but they couldn’t beat the Dodgers. Now they have to answer an important question: are they willing to spend as much as LA, or will they stick with their current path?

The Blue Jays already signed Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year, $500 million deal, but one superstar can’t compete with teams like Los Angeles. Toronto has tried to sign top free agents in the past but failed.

Juan Soto went to New York, and Shohei Ohtani slipped away, too. Kyle Tucker is now a free agent, which gives the team another chance this offseason. And the Blue Jays might just be able to pay him $460M.

Tucker is a great fit for any team for more than just his bat. He has been an All-Star four times and has hit 20 home runs every season for five seasons, which shows that he is reliable, which is what any championship contender needs. Tucker has hit more than 140 home runs and driven in more than 450 runs in his career. His OPS is impressive .850. Putting Tucker and Guerrero together would make an offense strong enough to beat any baseball team.

Toronto has to make decisions about its roster for its chances of winning the championship. The front office has never had more freedom than it does now, with Bo Bichette’s free agency coming up and George Springer and Kevin Gausman leaving after next season.

If the Blue Jays add Tucker, they could finally end their more than 30-year championship drought and become real challengers in the league.