The Los Angeles Dodgers did it again. On Thursday night, MLB insider Jeff Passan confirmed that the Dodgers reached a massive agreement with outfielder Kyle Tucker. The deal instantly shook the league and set social media on fire.
Tucker, who is 28, agreed to a four year contract worth $240 million. The deal includes a $64 million signing bonus and $30 million that will be paid later through deferrals. He also has the option to leave the contract after the second or third year if he chooses.
As soon as the numbers came out, the conversation quickly shifted away from Tucker and toward New York Yankees star Aaron Judge.
Fans across social media began comparing Tucker’s deal to Judge’s contract. Judge signed a nine year, $360 million deal with the Yankees in 2022. That breaks down to about $40 million per season. Tucker’s new deal averages close to $60 million per year.
That difference stunned a lot of fans.
Many started saying that Judge, a three time AL MVP and the face of the Yankees, is severely underpaid compared to today’s market. Some fans bluntly called it one of the biggest bargains in baseball. The comparison made Yankees supporters uneasy while Dodgers fans celebrated yet another blockbuster win.
The debate also highlighted how differently the Dodgers operate financially compared to the rest of the league.
Los Angeles already had the highest payroll in baseball last season, spending more than $416 million on player salaries. Even after some roster changes, the Dodgers are still sitting around $413 million. That is nearly $100 million more than any other team has spent so far.
What makes it even more striking is that the Dodgers let several players walk from last year’s roster. Those departures saved them over $77 million. Players like Michael Conforto, Kirby Yates, Chris Taylor, and Clayton Kershaw are no longer on the books, yet the team still spends at a level no one else can touch.
For many fans, this feels like the Dodgers are playing a completely different game. While other teams carefully manage budgets, Los Angeles keeps stacking stars and rewriting financial expectations.
As the offseason continues, frustration around the league is growing. The Dodgers are winning headlines, winning free agency, and changing how contracts are viewed. Not everyone is enjoying what that means for the future of baseball.
