Dodgers stun Mets, Blue Jays by stealing Kyle Tucker in free agency

The Dodgers were never viewed as the favorites for Kyle Tucker. The Mets had their short-term, $50 million a year offer on the table, and the Blue Jays were said to be willing to go long-term. Nary a peep was heard out of LA, the other suitor "hanging around the backboard," but anyone who underestimated them would've been sorely mistaken to do so.

On Thursday night, after days' worth of useless "he may sign today, tomorrow, next week — we don't actually know, we're just talking" updates from insiders, Jeff Passan reported that Tucker and the Dodgers were in agreement on a deal. Jon Heyman followed up to report that, to no one's surprise, it will be a short-term one.

FanSided insider Robert Murray had all of the details: four years and $240 million. Passan added that the deal includes opt-outs after the second and third seasons.

The unbeatable Dodgers have done it: they've found a way to look even more outstanding, even more flooded with talent, even more of a juggernaut. Everyone was just waiting for Andrew Friedman, Brandon Gomes, and the rest of LA's front office to do what they do best and make the deal that would define the offseason.

The Dodgers are inevitable.

Dodgers beat out Mets, Blue Jays to sign No. 1 free agent of the offseason Kyle Tucker

If everyone thought the Mets' $50 million a year offer was mind-blowing, then the $60 million he's actually going to get might send everyone into space. No doubt it includes deferrals, but baseball may forget to be angry about that while they're preoccupied with trying to pick their jaws off the floor at that AAV.

The real question now is — how could we have doubted them? The Dodgers have all of the money in the world. They don't care about stacking their roster. Nothing will stop them in pursuit of a third, fourth, fifth, and so on championship.

Signing Tucker solves the biggest issue of the offseason. Although they could perhaps use another bullpen arm, signing Edwin Díaz decisively solved their closer issue. Insiders thought that the Dodgers would be most likely to search for an outfielder on the trade market — Steven Kwan, Brendan Donovan, Lars Nootbaar — and they were all wrong.

And, deliciously, this is just another win over the Mets and the Blue Jays, who are trying so very hard to keep pace with the new Evil Empire out west. The Mets lost Díaz to LA, now they've lost Tucker. The Jays lost Shohei Ohtani and Roki Sasaki, and now they've lost Tucker.

This is stunning, but you kind of just have to shake your head in wonderment at this team. They're unstoppable.