The last time the San Francisco Giants watched in agony after going all in was when the Los Angeles Dodgers swooped in and signed Shohei Ohtani on a historic $700 million contract in 2023. Now, as the next top free agent prepares to hit the market once again in 2026, the Giants have a chance to settle the score. That free agent in question? The Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker.

The Cubs’ prized slugger is hitting the market at his peak and has piled up five straight seasons of 4-5 WAR, and at 29, he’s entering his most productive years. That’s why MLB insider Jim Bowden has called him “the highest-paid free agent in this class,” even predicting a contract “between $500 million and $650 million.” And that number isn’t an exaggeration, for a player consistently ranked top ten in WAR since 2019.

And this season also, his offensive numbers are strong, though he did endure a rough slump in August and recently landed on the injured list with a calf strain.  That’s why the chase is about to get wild. A recent report from Chosun Biz, citing local media houses in the states, named four teams as the most likely destinations for the superstar outfielder. The list includes the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Francisco Giants, and his current team, the Chicago Cubs. But the real drama lies in the Dodgers versus Giants tug-of-war.

San Francisco hasn’t forgotten losing out on Ohtani, Bryce Harper, or even Zack Greinke. “Analysts say there is a strong possibility the Giants will make another big deal to chase the Dodgers in the National League West,” the report stressed.

That alone could turn Tucker into the centerpiece of another California Cold War. As the report states, “No matter which team Tucker chooses, he will clearly be the biggest topic of the free-agent market this winter. The story is expected to heat up further as it intertwines with Lee Jung-hoo’s San Francisco and the Dodgers with Kim Hye-seong.”

And here’s where it gets juicy, because nothing in baseball hits harder than Dodgers versus Giants.

When rivals write checks instead of lineup cards

The Dodgers vs the Giants rivalry is nasty, dramatic, and sometimes tragic, and most importantly, as old as baseball itself. Think Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ’Round the World” in 1951, or the bloody 1965 brawl when Juan Marichal attacked Johnny Roseboro with a bat. Their first-ever modern postseason meeting in 2021 was a tense one, when the Dodgers won the five-game battle. Every generation gets its own battle. And fans know this war spills into the offseason, too.

The Giants nearly landed Shohei Ohtani in 2023 before watching the Dodgers snag him for $700 million. They even pushed for Bryce Harper in 2019, but he chose Philadelphia. They also went head-to-head for pitchers Zack Greinke in 2015 and Jon Lester in 2014. And if Tucker chooses sides this winter, the rivalry gets another chapter.

And after three straight losing seasons since their surprise 107-win campaign in 2021, the San Francisco Giants are showing a new sense of urgency by signing Rafael Devers, Willy Adames, Matt Chapman, and outfielder Jung Hoo Lee to huge contracts.

What about the team that actually owns Tucker right now? The Cubs will face a tough choice as they’ve never signed anyone past $184 million, though, and Tucker’s deal could double or triple that. Plus, they have internal options like Owen Caissie, which gives them a credible alternative if the price for Tucker gets too high.

In the end, no matter which team he chooses, Kyle Tucker will be the biggest story of the winter. The Dodgers want to keep stacking stars. The Giants want to prove they’re not afraid of the monster next door. The Yankees want redemption after missing Soto. And the Cubs? They want to keep their gamble, as letting Tucker walk after trading Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith for him would be branded an organizational failure.