Kyle Tucker’s Dodgers’ decision should leave Guardians fans with mixed feelings 

After nearly four months of waiting, Kyle Tucker finally made his free agency decision on Thursday. It was a case of the rich getting richer. 

While there was some buzz that Tucker would end up somewhere on the East Coast, he ended up giving in to the bright lights of Hollywood and signed a four-year, $240 million deal with the Dodgers. 

Even if the signing presents some Guardians-related positives  (don’t have to worry about seeing him until the World Series), there are still some clear downsides for Guardians fans. 

Kyle Tucker signing with the Guardians presents some negatives for the Guardians 

The first big problem with the signing in relation to the Guardians is a problem that’s been plaguing mankind since the beginning of time: Money. 

With Tucker in the fold, the Dodgers now have a payroll of $2.1 billion, and are going to be spending around $575.6 million in 2026 between their payroll and estimated tax bill. 

Tucker’s deal has $30 million in deferrals (which is becoming the norm for the Dodgers) and has an Average Annual Value of approximately $57.1 million. 

Meanwhile, the Guardians’ biggest free agent signing is still the three-year, $60 million contract Edwin Encarnación signed ahead of the 2017 season. 

Although Tucker’s contract includes opt outs after the second and third years, it’s still a clear win for a Dodgers organization that seems willing to spend whatever it takes to win. It’s helped them win back-to-back titles and the biggest reason why they’re the main favorite to three-peat. 

As of now, the Guardians' projected payroll for 2026 slides in at just under $80 million, which somehow isn’t the lowest figure in the league.

While part of the reason for that is because they’re expecting big things from young, cost-controlled rookies (which is every MLB team’s dream), it’s also because they haven’t spent in free agency outside of grabbing a variety of relievers. 

Even if that’s enough to compete in the paltry American League Central, there’s a whole other world out there that exists outside of the division that the Guardians don’t seem prepared for at all. 

It's clearly a good thing that Tucker stayed away from the American League, but the Dodgers continuing to spend money to build a super team is becoming an annoying storyline. No one is forcing the Dodgers to spend more; they just have an ownershipship group that's choosing to do so.

The Guardians, like so many other teams, are not led by a group that seems willing to do that (at least right now).

The worst part is that there are still other options out there who could help the Guardians. No one expected them to sign Tucker, but it’s hard not to see how Harrison Bader, Austin Hays or Miguel Andujar could help the Guardians get more production from their outfield in 2026. 

Instead, it seems like the Guardians are going to need to win games on the back of strong pitching and just enough offense. Tucker’s signing means the Dodgers are going to have plenty of both for a third straight season. 

The Dodgers and Guardians have been playing in different sandboxes for awhile now, but Tucker’s signing was a stunning reminder of just how different those sandboxes are.