The Los Angeles Dodgers have unsurprisingly been one of the best teams in all of baseball in 2026, and right now, they look primed and ready to win their third straight World Series in 2026.
Not a team to rest on their laurels, the team went out in free agency following their victory over the Toronto Blue Jays and spent big again, and as a result, they’re sitting at 49-29 on the season. They’ve been tested as well, as the team have suffered plenty of injuries throughout the year, but with the depth of star power on this roster, they just keep on rolling.
On Monday however, they got much more bad news on one of those key free agency pickups, and it could be disaster for the team.
Kyle Tucker Departs Game With Injury
GettyKyle Tucker of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Currently, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in Minnesota to begin a series with the Minnesota Twins, and with the game tied at 1-1, the team took to social media to confirm some unfortunate news on Kyle Tucker.
After star outfielder Kyle Tucker left the game earlier due to injuries, there was speculation around their big free agency pickup, but the Dodgers have now confirmed he left the game due to back spasms. That doesn’t mean he could be out for an extended period of time, but given the injury history, it’s safe to say that moving forward, the Dodgers are going to be very cautious with the situation as they look to begin the series with a victory despite battling through injuries.
Thus far in 2026, Tucker has played in 75 of the Dodgers 79 games played (today included), but with some injuries in his past, the team and fans are certainly hoping this is just a smaller thing.
Kyle Tucker has Failed to Live up to the Lofty Expectations
Over the winter, Tucker was seen as the biggest free agent available, and while there were other teams such as the Blue Jays interested, he took a massive deal to join the back-to-back World Series Champions. The deal was four-years, $240 million, meaning that per season, Tucker is now officially the highest paid player in baseball history, with the team giving him a short-term deal for a massive salary cap hit to boost their chances of a three-peat.
Early in his Dodgers career, Tucker has failed to deliver on those lofty expectations, as he is currently hitting .234 alongside a .709 OPS with six home runs and 40 RBI through his first 74 games played. Those numbers certainly aren’t bad, but for the highest paid player in baseball on an annual basis, the team were hoping that he could put up similar numbers to recent years, where he has 23 or more home runs in four of his past five seasons.
Ultimately, this roster is so loaded that he has blended in well and has managed to contribute despite the numbers not popping, but if he is out for an extended time due to this injury, it’s safe to say that the Dodgers will find it much harder to replace him in the lineup.
Los Angeles Dodgers Outfielder Suffers Injury During Twins Game