Kyle Tucker was held out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Saturday as they faced one of the toughest pitchers in Milwaukee Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski.
It was the second time in the last six days that Tucker sat out amid a disappointing first season with the Dodgers. Alex Call instead got the start in right field.
Tucker’s latest day off wasn’t necessarily due to the difficult matchup, but rather mounting frustration over his struggles at Dodger Stadium. He’s batting a paltry .192/.290/.276 at home compared to .275/.371/.469 in road games.
“I think more for Kyle, being at home right now, I see the frustration, and I felt that for him to use today as a work day, and then he’ll be back in there tomorrow,” manager Dave Roberts said before the Dodgers’ 4-1 loss on Saturday.
“He’ll play all three in Denver. Gives me a chance to get Alex in there, and I like Alex in the sense that I think he can spoil some pitches and work at-bats versus Miz. So it’s a combo.”
After a productive road trip last week that saw him go 8-for-22 (.364) with a triple and two home runs, Tucker is hitless in 16 at-bats on the Dodgers’ current homestand. Despite the alarming splits, Roberts does not believe Tucker is solely focused on his struggles at Dodger Stadium.
“I don’t think he even realized it until recently, when I think people brought it to light,” Roberts said. “But the fact is, the splits are stark, home-road. I don’t think we have a reason behind it. I wouldn’t say fixated on it, but certainly, now he’s conscious of it, though. Yeah.”
Kyle Tucker showing frustration
Roberts noticed Tucker looking more frustrated than usual after a few at-bats earlier in the homestand and felt it was best to give him another day off Saturday.
“I think that just kind of reactions to at-bats, whether it’s the first at-bat of a game, and you’re really showing emotion, that’s a tell, from a guy who doesn’t show a lot of emotion,” Roberts said. “So those things, as they build up, for me, that tells me that you need to watch a baseball game and kind of take some of that frustration and put it to the side.”
Tucker is batting an overall .234/.332/.373 with 18 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs and 54 RBI in 476 plate appearances across 116 games this season.
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