Dodgers signing of Kyle Tucker proves they are worried about the Blue Jays

"The Los Angeles Dodgers once again upended the baseball world by signing Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract on a Friday in the middle of January. The Dodgers are the villains in baseball, but every fanbase probably wishes their team would act like the Dodgers. They nabbed Tucker from the Blue Jays, who were prominently featured in rumors for the top free agent."

"The Dodgers didn't have a dire need for an outfielder, but still signed Tucker in order to take him away from a budding rival on the opposite coast. They had Tommy Edman, Alex Call, and former Blue Jay Teoscar Hernandez along with Blue Jays killer Andy Pages poised to assume outfield duties next season. That's a passable collection of talent because of how absurdly talented the top of their lineup is."

"None of that mattered for the Dodgers, who didn't hit much during the World Series. They won the whole thing despite getting outhit. The Dodgers then watched the Blue Jays fill out a rotation with reinforcements like Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce. The bullpen also received plenty of strengthening with the signing of Tyler Rogers. Good pitching can beat good hitting in the short sample space of October baseball."

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract, taking him away from the Blue Jays despite not having a dire outfield need. The Dodgers already had outfield options in Tommy Edman, Alex Call, Teoscar Hernandez, and Andy Pages, yet prioritized denying a rising rival a top hitter. Los Angeles won the World Series despite being outhit, while Toronto bolstered its pitching with Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, and Tyler Rogers. The signing underscores that money remains a decisive factor in free agency and that pitching can decide short postseason series.

Read at Jays Journal