The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t give Kyle Tucker a four-year, $240 million contract this offseason because they thought he would be an average hitter.
They signed him because they believed they were getting one of the best offensive players in baseball.
So far, that’s not what they’ve gotten.
Kyle Tucker is hitting just .232 this season, and his struggles have become difficult to ignore.
The Dodgers are still in excellent shape in the NL West, but that doesn’t mean Tucker’s struggles can simply be brushed aside. Especially when the calendar is moving toward October.
What’s particularly interesting is that his teammates are now publicly talking about it. Mookie Betts and Miguel Rojas have both offered support for Tucker as he works through what has been a miserable first season in Los Angeles.
That’s an important signal.
When teammates are publicly discussing a player’s struggles, the story has moved beyond statistics.
And Kyle Tucker needs to figure things out before the Dodgers really need him.
Kyle Tucker Could Find Himself Out of the Lineup in October
The biggest problem for Kyle Tucker is that the Dodgers have options.
That’s something that might not have mattered much in April or May. It matters considerably more when a team is preparing for the playoffs.
Dave Roberts has already shown that he isn’t afraid to give Tucker a night off. The Dodgers sat him against Milwaukee earlier this month, with Roberts acknowledging that Tucker needed time to clear his head.
And there’s a pretty obvious reason for that.
Tucker’s struggles have been particularly bad at Dodger Stadium, where he has hit just .192 compared with .275 on the road.
That creates a fascinating situation for Kyle Tucker and the Dodgers.
The Dodgers have Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Mookie Betts and other players who can help fill out the lineup. If Tucker is still struggling when the postseason arrives, Roberts isn’t going to play him simply because he signed a massive contract.
At least, he shouldn’t.
October is not the time for sentimentality.
What Can the Dodgers Do About Their Slumping Star?
The good news is that the Dodgers don’t necessarily need to panic.
There are reasons to believe Kyle Tucker can still turn this around.
MLB’s analysis of his season found that his biggest problem has been a decline in barrels rather than a complete collapse in his ability to make quality contact. His barrel rate has fallen considerably, while his underlying results on non-barreled balls have remained remarkably similar.
That’s encouraging.
It suggests there may still be a path back to the player Los Angeles thought it was signing.
The Dodgers also have something extremely valuable on their side: time.
They’re still comfortably positioned in the NL West, meaning they don’t need Tucker to suddenly become the best version of himself tomorrow.
But eventually, they will need him.
The Dodgers didn’t spend $240 million on Kyle Tucker to watch him struggle through October. And if he hasn’t figured things out by the time the playoffs arrive, Roberts may have to make a difficult decision.
That’s why the next few weeks matter so much.
Kyle Tucker doesn’t need to prove he’s worth $240 million.
He just needs to remind the Dodgers why they gave it to him in the first place.
Kyle Tucker Needs to Figure Things Out Before October