The Los Angeles Dodgers spent big in free agency again this year, dropping serious cash to chase a third straight World Series title, and they’ve already locked up a postseason spot. But don’t go thanking their top free-agent pickups, Kyle Tucker and Edwin Diaz, because ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle just called them the team’s “biggest disappointments” for the 2026 season. This duo is pulling in $47 million this year, and honestly, they’ve hurt the Dodgers way more than they’ve helped.
The “No-Brainer” Signings That Blew Up
Doolittle hit it right on the head, pointing out that these “splash signings” of Tucker and Diaz caused “much handwringing about L.A.’s economic dominance.” And yeah, for fans of other teams, it looked like the Dodgers were just flexing on everyone, snagging the top reliever and top position player from last offseason’s free agency. At the time, these guys looked like absolute no-brainers to bring more rings to L.A. But man, their first year? It could not have gone worse. These two have been terrible additions, pure and simple, combining for a net negative performance even with that huge $47 million paycheck.
The Ugly Numbers on the Diamond
Let’s get into the nitty-gritty, because the stats don’t lie. Kyle Tucker, in the first year of his monstrous four-year, $240 million deal, is sitting at a paltry 0.5 bWAR for the entire season. Think about that for a minute. We’re talking about a guy with 15 homers, a .227 batting average, and a 94 OPS+ across nearly 500 at-bats. That’s just not getting it done for a player on that kind of contract.
Then there’s Edwin Diaz. Yikes. His numbers are truly brutal with a -1.3 bWAR this year. He’s got a horrible 11.85 ERA over 16 outings, letting in 18 runs in just 13.2 innings pitched. His 36 ERA+ is easily the worst mark of his entire MLB career. Diaz’s struggles are a huge reason why these two combine for a dismal -0.8 bWAR this season. And while losing Shohei Ohtani to the injured list is a gut punch for the Dodgers, the consistent poor play from Tucker and Diaz makes that injury look like small potatoes. Fans everywhere were frustrated when L.A. signed these guys, but now the Dodgers are actually getting negative value from their huge investments. It’s a rough look.
These guys are absolute busts so far, massive disappointments for a team that shelled out that kind of money. The Dodgers are in the postseason, and will likely be contenders, but it’s going to be in spite of these two, not because of them. What a wild turn for what looked like a sure thing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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