Kyle Tucker has had an incredibly disappointing season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, fresh off signing a historic four-year, $240 million contract during the offseason.
Entering play on Saturday, Tucker was batting .232/.330/.370 and went from opening the season as the second hitter in the Dodgers’ lineup to seventh recently.
The lack of performance has led to questions about his level of care, if pressure of playing for the Dodgers getting to him, Tucker’s offensive approach and swing mechanics.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has continued to say Tucker cares and works hard, and the 29-year-old brushed off the notion of pressure. Still, the real reason for his issues remains up for debate.
On Saturday, Tucker showed signs of life against the San Diego Padres with a three-hit, four-RBI game. That also included a home run, which was just his seventh of the year.
It could be a turning point for Tucker, but he isn’t fully sold on it, as he’s still unhappy with his swing mechanics.
“I don’t know. I mean, I didn’t love my swing tonight,” Tucker told Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA. “Like the homer, I just kind of caught the ball at the right point of contact, and it worked out. And the other ones, got inside the ball a little bit and got them over to left, over the infielders. It just kind of works out sometimes.”
Tucker’s home run was more than likely his best at-bat of the season. After getting into a 2-2 count, Tucker fouled off three pitches and worked the count full.
On the ninth pitch, he crushed a 92.5 mph cutter 398 feet at 106.7 mph for a no-doubter home run.
But even with excellent results in that plate appearance, Tucker was still frustrated with most of his swings.
“I was just trying to get the run in,” Tucker said. “He was around the zone for the most part, making some decent pitches. I wasn’t putting that great of swings on there, but I was able to catch the ball at the right point of contact and it worked out well.”
Tucker is now hitting .238/.334/.384 with seven home runs, 44 RBI and 45 runs scored. It’s a far way from his career .270/.356/.495 line, but the Dodgers can afford to be patient and let him work through his struggles.
Dave Roberts sets expectation for Kyle Tucker
Roberts pointed out that Tucker has been chasing pitches out of the zone at a higher rate than in years past, so the skipper wants him to get back to controlling the strike zone better.
“For me, it’s just wanting him to get back to who he is as a hitter,” Roberts said. “Who he is as a hitter is a guy that really controls the strike zone. His swing rate has been much higher. His chase rate, much higher.
“If we can get him back to being who he is, then we’ll bet on the results. So it’s not something we might see tonight, but going forward, that’s something I think we’re going to see.”
Tucker has a chase rate of 25.6% in 2026, which is still in the 73rd percentile for Major League hitters. But it is significantly higher than 17.6% chase rate he had in 2025.
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