Apart from Cody Bellinger battle with NY Yankees, NY Mets face two strong competitors for Kyle Tucker

Cody Bellinger has made the New York Yankees and the New York Mets battle for months now. However, the Orange-and-Blue are also trying to land Kyle Tucker, but have two very strong competitors that want to acquire the outfielder.

According to Jim Duquette of MLB Network, the two most recent World Series teams are in the mix for Kyle Tucker. The Dodgers and Blue Jays are considered the most aggressive suitors.

Duquette is a very reliable source when it comes to the Mets, since he was a general manager on the team. Hence, his contacts are numerous. Both the Jays and Dodgers want to go back to the World Series and Tucker certainly would provide big help in doing so.

Kyle Tucker is a must-have for the NY Mets

The Mets really need Tucker for two reasons. First and foremost, the team’s had a disastrous offseason and are yet to sign a big-time name besides Jorge Polanco. Tucker would go a long way in helping bring hope back to the team. The same with Bellinger. Still, Kyle Tucker must evaluate his best possible option. It’s the benefit of being such a coveted player.

Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs.

The other reason is even simpler: Tucker is an excellent player. He provides all-round proficiency. He has an elite combination of power, speed, plate discipline, and overall solid defense. The Mets desperately need someone of Tucker’s skills and quality.

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Tucker also provides more offensive upside than Bellinger

If the Yankees manage to keep Bellinger, but the Mets get to overpower the Dodgers and Blue Jays to land Tucker, it’s all right. It’s not the best-case scenario, but it’s still good. In the end, both are outfielders and Tucker would bring potentially better offensive upside.

Tucker has better hitting and slugging. Also, he is a consistent threat in key stats. For instance, he has multiple seasons with at least 25 home runs and 25 stolen bases. In 2023, he was close to a 30-30 season. Hence, the Mets could potentially benefit more from Tucker. However, both the Yankees and Mets reportedly prefer Bellinger.