SF Giants division rivals expected to pursue top player on the market

The SF Giants have a need for a power-hitting outfielder, but they are not the only team in the NL West with that need. According to Jon Heyman of The New York Post (subscription required), the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to pursue Kyle Tucker this winter.

SF Giants division rivals expected to pursue top player on the market

This comes just one day after the Dodgers advanced to the World Series. The timing of the rumor is likely not a coincidence. Excel Sports Management represents Tucker, so there is a good chance that they are trying to push a narrative that the rest of the league does not want to see.

When a top player on the market reaches free agency, they tend to use the media to convey a certain narrative. More often than not, it is propaganda, but there could also be a kernal of truth to it as well.

Remember the Aaron Judge pursuit? The wink to the camera just as he landed in San Francisco to be recruited by the Giants. Or, the report that came out about him wanting to be a Giant when he was younger. A couple of days after that report, he returned to the Yankees on a long-term deal.

This could very well be the case with Tucker, but the price tag could go up simply by grouping the Dodgers into the mix. Do they need another star player? Not really. Could they afford another star player? Absolutely.

The Giants have a need in the outfield as well. Though, no concrete source has connected them to the Tucker yet.

The Giants will start this offseason with roughly $60 million below the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold this year. They will have financial flexibility to spend, but it will be up to Buster Posey to convince the ownership group to spend at the level Tucker is seeking.

The four-time All-Star is coming off another strong year. In his first season with the Chicago Cubs, he hit .266/.377/.464 (136 wRC+) with 22 home runs, 73 RBI, and 91 runs in 597 plate appearances. This includes a 14.6 percent walk rate, 14.7 percent strikeout rate, and .198 ISO.

Tucker brings a rare combination of power and contact to the table. That is a need for San Francisco, and about 29 other teams. If a team has the 28-year-old outfielder circled as an offseason target, they could have some competition in the Dodgers.