TORONTO — Kyle Tucker won’t forget what the Toronto Blue Jays did for him in 2024. As the outfielder, then with the Houston Astros, recovered from a fractured shin, the Jays allowed Tucker to use the club’s new rehab facilities at Rogers Centre, even though he was an opponent.
Tucker, who considered signing with Toronto this offseason before ultimately landing with the Los Angeles Dodgers, arrived early at the ballpark throughout that 2024 July series. Before Blue Jays players got to the ballpark, Tucker used the underwater treadmill and got a rare glimpse at the home side’s recently renovated player facilities.
“I was always very grateful for that,” Tucker told The Athletic on Tuesday, before the Dodgers beat the Blue Jays 4-1.
During free agency this winter, Tucker got more than a glimpse. Through further facility tours, golf rounds and conversations with Toronto’s players, Tucker learned more about the Blue Jays.
In discussing Toronto’s offseason recruitment efforts in the Dodgers dugout on Tuesday, Tucker elaborated on why he ultimately chose Los Angeles.
“I never counted them out until something was done,” Tucker said. “I was looking forward to whichever team I eventually ended up signing with. Obviously, they have great fans, a great stadium and a really good team.”
Tucker watched the Jays advance to World Series Game 7 in 2025 and knew Toronto would be one of the high-spending, competitive teams interested in him in free agency. He was the unquestioned top position player on the open market, but planned to hear out every team, he said. Through early offseason Zoom calls and a tour of Toronto’s Player Development Complex in Florida, Tucker learned more about the organization.
“Good roster,” Tucker said. “Had a phenomenal team last year. I think their coaching staff is great. I got a good feel for everything.
“They’re a good organization,” Tucker added.
As the outfielder lingered in free agency, the Jays increased recruitment efforts. Infielder Ernie Clement flew down to Florida, where Tucker lives in the offseason, for a round of golf with the free agent. It wasn’t an aggressive sales pitch, Tucker said, just Clement offering to answer any questions Tucker had about the Jays or Toronto over 18 holes. Clement, Tucker joked, was much better at golf.
“He was a great guy to go to,” Tucker said. “A great player, great person. Was fun hanging out.”
Tucker’s former Astros teammates, George Springer and Myles Straw, also offered to field any questions he had about the Jays. In early January, Tucker and Springer were spotted together at a TGL golf event in Palm Springs, Fla. That was prompted by Tucker, he said, who was in town for a wedding. He knew Springer spent some time in Palm Springs during the offseason and invited him and their former teammate Michael Brantley to join him at the indoor golf event.
A week later, it was decision day for Tucker. The Mets, Jays and Dodgers were among the significant bidders. New York and Los Angeles’ offers were shorter deals with higher per-year salaries. Toronto’s offer, a league source said, was $350 million over 10 years. Tucker tried not to stress about the life-changing decision, he said, weighing the different offers.
“You kind of take everything into account,” Tucker said. “The years, the options, the amount, where you might want to spend the rest of your career and raise your family.”
The Jays had already signed Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers, and Kazuma Okamoto. Tucker would’ve been the best finishing touch imaginable for a high-spending offseason. But, like Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki before him, Tucker chose Los Angeles. He agreed to a four-year deal worth $60 million per year on Jan. 15, with a potential opt-out after 2027.
The deal made Tucker the highest-paid player in baseball for 2026. The lure of that sort of money is obvious. But, despite facility tours and player recruitment, Tucker’s decision, he said, ultimately came down to location.
“I was just trying to make the most of the rest of my career,” Tucker said. “You don’t play this game forever, so I was trying to make the most out of it wherever I felt the best landing spot was for me and my family. That was California.”
John Schneider ejected as Jays lose sixth straight
Toronto’s offence started to show life after Schneider was ejected in Tuesday’s fifth inning, but it wasn’t enough to end the losing streak. The Jays fell to 4-7.
Following a balk call against starter Kevin Gausman in the fifth, Schneider popped out of the dugout to argue with home-plate umpire Dan Merzel. The manager pushed forward, getting more heated after the umpire raised his arm and threw Schneider out of the game. It was his first ejection of the season.
“It was a slide step to control the running game,” Schneider said after the game. “So it definitely was not a balk. I’m not gonna move off of that.”
The Jays’ lineup, which had been held scoreless to that point, began to chip away after Schneider walked down the dugout steps and back to the clubhouse. Springer doubled home a run in the sixth, and the Jays continued to rally in the seventh, with Kazuma Okamoto, Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider all reaching to load the bases with nobody out. However, the next three Jays went down in order, ending the threat. Toronto stranded two more in the ninth.
“Someone needs to get the big hit,” Schneider said. “There are opportunities that are out there. It’s just a matter of, who’s it gonna be?”
The big hit never arrived, finalizing Toronto’s sixth straight loss and sixth consecutive game in which the offence was held to four or fewer runs.
