Earlier this week, the baseball world was left speechless when a report surfaced from FanSided MLB insider Robert Murray that the New York Mets had sent a short-term contract offer to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker worth $50 million per year.
While this may pale in comparison to Ohtani’s $70 million AAV (although much of that is deferred) and wouldn’t even be the most lucrative contract the Mets have handed out in recent years after signing Juan Soto to his 15-year deal last winter worth on-average $51 million per season, it would insert Tucker in some exclusive company.
A deal of this magnitude would mean that Tucker, alongside the aforementioned duo of Soto and Ohtani would be the only names in MLB history to make $50+ million yearly salaries.
Now, while the Royals have never been tied to Tucker despite their dire need for outfield help this offseason, a potentially historic deal like this really makes you think. Could the Royals ever have a shot to sign a deal of this magnitude?
Unfortunately history would say no.
How Tucker’s $50 million per year offer from the Mets compares to Royals largest contract in franchise history
Every Royals fan understands the cards they’ve been dealt in supporting a small market team. Historic offers like this one between the Mets and Tucker don’t even enter our realm of consciousness.
While Kansas City has become a little more bullish when handing out money in recent years, specifically with extensions, that’s relative to the type of financial force they are, which is nowhere near a Steve Cohen-run Mets organization.
Their largest contract is obviously the $11-year, $288.7 million extension they gave their franchise cornerstone in Bobby Witt Jr. ahead of the 2024 season. The average AAV on that though is just a hair over $26.25 million.
The next most lucrative deal they handed out is their mid-season extension of Seth Lugo that they issued this July. His short-term two-year deal carries a $23 million AAV.
Then looking at free agent deals, you have to go back all the way to the current Hall of Fame hopeful Alex Gordon in 2016. After letting him hit the open market following their World Series triumph in 2015, the Platinum Glove left fielder found his way back home on a four-year, $72 million contract. For those doing the math at home though, that’s just an $18 million AAV.
I could go on and on here, but at that point it teeters on becoming painful if I do (at least it does for me). The Royals historically have never been able compete with an offer like that, and in all reality, likely will never be able to either.
However, as annoying as these big money powerhouses can seem, Royals fans can’t have too many complaints in the grand scheme of things, as the creativity they’ve had produce over the years has certainly bore fruit.
Their excellent draft and international free agent strategy was key to building their World Series winning roster in 2015 with drafted names Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas and international free agents like Salvador Perez and Yordano Ventura.
And it’s also been key in building this next generation of success, with drafted names like Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino along with IFAs like Perez still and Maikel Garcia.
They may not be able to compete with deep pockets like Steve Cohen’s Mets, but they’ve been proof that winning can occur through more than just money.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source kingsofkauffman.com ’
