MLB Mailbag:

"At this point do you think Kyle Tucker will take a high AAV deal - example: 5 years $250 million with opt outs after years 2 and 4? I'm writing this on December 17th, and I don't think we're at that point with Tucker. It's true that long-term free agent deals usually happen in December. The last free agent deal of 8+ years that didn't happen in December was Bryce Harper in March 2019, with his 13-year deal coming a few weeks after Manny Machado's ten-year pact."

"Eric Hosmer got an eight-year deal in February 2018, and Prince Fielder signed for nine years in January 2012. That's about it, though, so if we get to the new year without a Tucker deal, the odds start shifting toward a shorter term."

A question centers on whether Kyle Tucker would accept a high-AAV, shorter-term deal such as five years for $250 million with opt-outs after years two and four. As of December 17, the market did not look ready for that type of contract for Tucker. Historically, most long-term free-agent deals are completed in December. The notable recent outlier was Bryce Harper signing a 13-year contract in March 2019. Other long-term deals that occurred outside December include Eric Hosmer in February 2018 and Prince Fielder in January 2012. If Tucker remains unsigned into the new year, the odds favor shorter-term arrangements.

Read at MLB Trade Rumors