How Can the Dodgers ‘Dunk’ Off the Backboard in Free Agency?
As the offseason slowly progresses, the Dodgers could land Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette by waiting for the market to bend in their favor.
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Earlier this week, The Athletic senior baseball writer and Fox Major League Baseball on-field reporter Ken Rosenthal said this about the Dodgers’ front office free-agent philosophy:
“They’re a team, as their own people say, that likes to hang around the backboard,” Rosenthal said. “What does that mean? If something falls to them at a price they like, they’re there. They cannot be ruled out on anything. That would include a trade for Tarik Skubal or a pursuit of Kyle Tucker — nothing is out of reach for them if it becomes a situation for them where a trade or free agent signing becomes, in their mind, worth the acquisition cost.”
The comment, made on Foul Territory, paints the Dodgers as a team content to let chaos ensue in the market around them, trusting that something valuable will ricochet their way if they’re patient enough.
In basketball terms, it’s not always about the clean dunk. Sometimes, it’s about timing the jump for the rebound, or attacking and finishing at the rim when the defense is out of position.
Of course, the basketball metaphor feels even more appropriate discussing Dodgers president of baseball operations, Andrew Friedman, as the Los Angeles Lakers brought him in as a temporary front office consultant in late November.
The Dodgers have been unusually quiet this offseason, making just two moves, most notably the prized signing of elite closer Edwin Díaz, while sitting out the early bidding wars. Recent winters have been filled with nine-figure splashes and frequent transactions, so it feels like the Dodgers are about to strike again at any moment, and you can feel the unease in the other 29 fan bases as they await more breaking news for the back-to-back defending champs.
The Dodgers are hovering near the rim, waiting to see which ball comes loose. With big names still out there, that ball could be Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette.
The Case for Kyle Tucker
Tucker was widely expected to command a long-term, mega-deal when the offseason began, with rumors even exceeding $400M at one point. A 28-year-old, four-time All-Star with definite two-way value in right field doesn’t usually linger on the market. Yet here we are, nearly halfway into January, with varied whispers about Tucker’s destination.
As Will Laws and Nick Selbe of Sports Illustrated noted, the drawn-out process opens the door for a creative structure: a shorter-term deal with massive average annual value and multiple opt-outs. That kind of contract screams “Dodgers.”
Los Angeles is uniquely positioned to absorb the luxury tax penalties that scare off other teams. They have already been hit with the Diaz signing, just as they have been the past several years, despite all the deferred money, and they show no signs of slowing their efforts and pursuit of more.
Even with a 110 percent surcharge, a $35-40 million AAV deal for Tucker would still be palatable if it’s only three years and loaded with player options. For Tucker, it’s security now and another bite at the apple soon. For the Dodgers, it’s elite production without a decade-long commitment.
The on-field fit is obvious. The Dodgers’ outfield alignment last season was one of the few true weaknesses they had to overcome to achieve the ultimate goal. Playing Teoscar Hernández in right field while hoping Michael Conforto could bounce back proved disastrous. Hernández struggled defensively at the more demanding position, and Conforto struggled so much he didn’t even make the playoff roster.
Plug Tucker into right field, slide Hernández back to left, and suddenly everything clicks. The lineup becomes deeper and more balanced, and the defense improves. If the market continues to stall, this is exactly the kind of “backboard” bounce Friedman loves to exploit.
Bo Bichette and the Clearer Path
The Blue Jays’ decision to sign Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto introduces flexibility and uncertainty around Bo Bichette. Toronto insists the move doesn’t close any doors, but it undeniably creates positional overlap and internal questions. If Okamoto plays third base regularly, other pieces shift. If he doesn’t, the puzzle gets more complicated.
Unlike Tucker, Bichette fits a very specific need. The Dodgers never truly settled second base last season, rotating Miguel Rojas and Tommy Edman through the position. With Mookie Betts entrenched at shortstop in 2026, Los Angeles has a clear opening for an everyday second baseman, and Bichette has already made it known he’s willing to move off short.
Offensively, the appeal is obvious. Bichette is 27, coming off a .298/.357/.483 season with an .840 OPS, and his high-contact, gap power and knack for delivering with runners in scoring position profiles perfectly in the Dodgers’ lineup.
Defensively, his -13 outs above average ranked in the first percentile, but the Dodgers have a track record of betting on improvement. Rojas helped Betts transition smoothly to shortstop, and the organization believes it can do the same for Bichette at second.
From a roster-construction standpoint, Bichette might actually make more sense than Tucker. A deal in the $120 million range secures a premium bat through his prime years without blocking future pieces. And if Toronto pivots toward Tucker instead, the Dodgers could slip in and grab Bichette without a bidding war.
Why the Dodgers Will Get One of Them
This is where Rosenthal’s “hang around the backboard” comment becomes most revealing. The Dodgers don’t need both Tucker and Bichette. They need one market inefficiency to reveal itself.
If the Blue Jays decide Tucker is the better use of their resources, Bichette’s path to Los Angeles becomes clearer. If Tucker’s market continues to lag, the Dodgers can pounce with a short-term, high-AAV deal that others won’t touch.
There’s even a third angle. Rosenthal and Will Sammon have reported Dodgers interest in Brewers ace Freddy Peralta. Starting pitching isn’t an urgent need, but it underscores the same philosophy: nothing is off the table if the price drops to a point the Dodgers like.
The Díaz signing addressed the bullpen’s biggest flaw from last season. With spring training approaching, the Dodgers are content to watch the board, knowing that someone will miss, and when they do, Los Angeles will be right there to clean it up.
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