“The Dodgers are expected to make a play for No. 1 free agent Kyle Tucker, who’d fit nicely into the National League’s best lineup,” the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports.

Here’s where it gets interesting.

“The Giants, Phillies, Red Sox and many others could be in the mix, as well,” Heyman adds.

So let’s take a second to unpack this rumor.

What Tucker Offers

Tucker has hit at least 22 home runs in each of the last five seasons. The four-time All-Star won a Gold Glove Award in 2022 and Silver Slugger Award in 2023. In fact, Tucker finished fifth in voting for American League MVP in 2023 after driving in a career-high and league-leading 112 runs.

But the 28-year-old Tucker won’t come cheap.

“Tucker’s best comparable might be Mookie Betts, not because of the similarities of their games but rather the level at which they produce while maintaining minuscule strikeout rates,” according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. “Few players are as good at any of the three facets of the game as Tucker, let alone all three. Betts is the most obvious, and he signed a 12-year, $365 million deal that started in his age-28 season.

“So, yeah, the number is going to be big — likely in the $400 million range,” Passan added. “The Philadelphia Phillies could desperately use a big corner outfield bat, particularly if the next player on this list takes his talents elsewhere. The San Francisco Giants need a complement to Rafael Devers in the middle of the lineup. Others, including the Cubs, will be in the mix. The market will find Tucker, as it eventually does with the best players in every class.”

Is Tucker A Good Fit?

Look, there’s no doubting Tucker’s talent. But do the Red Sox make any sense?

After all, the club is looking to re-sign third baseman Alex Bregman, who will command a nine-figure salary. Boston also has been linked to New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, who also wants a nine-figure payday.

Then there’s the question of where Tucker would play. The Red Sox already have a crowded outfield with Jarren Duran, Roman Anthony , Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela and Masataka Yoshida.

Adding Tucker to the mix would force chief baseball officer Craig Breslow and manager Alex Cora to get wildly creative in assembling the roster and daily lineup.

Yes, Tucker is a stud. Yes, the team signing Tucker will get the prime years of the All Star’s career. It just doesn’t look like the outfielder aligns with what the Red Sox are building.