A surprising team might be in the mix for Kyle Tucker this winter.
The Athletic reported Thursday that Orioles officials “are not ruling out” pursuing the star outfielder in free agency.
Baltimore joins a long list of teams said to be interested in Tucker, who turns 29 in January and is widely seen as the top position player on the market this winter.
Last week, noti.group’s Jon Heyman floated the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Giants, Phillies, Mets and Yankees as possible suitors for Tucker.
The Cubs, who traded for Tucker in a deal with the Astros last offseason, are reportedly not expected to re-sign the outfielder.
The notoriously low-spending Orioles seem like an unlikely fit for the four-time All-Star, who is rumored to be looking for a deal in the $400-plus million range.
Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias has long been familiar with Tucker, having served as the Astros’ scouting director when the team selected him with the No. 5 overall pick in 2015.
Tucker is coming off another solid season, having hit .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs in his first season in Chicago.
In eight big league seasons, Tucker has been worth 27.3 WAR while posting an .865 OPS.
The Athletic added that the franchise could trade young outfielders like Colton Cowser and Dylan Beavers for pitching if they were to acquire Tucker.
Earlier this week, the Orioles made an interesting trade with the Angels for outfielder Taylor Ward, sending right-hander Grayson Rodriguez to Anaheim.
The Orioles are looking to bounce back next season after a disappointing 2025.
Having come into the year with playoff aspirations, Baltimore finished 75-87, well outside the American League playoff picture and in last place in the AL East.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
