Kyle Tucker might have taken a nasty foul ball off his right knee on Saturday, but Dodgers fans can breathe a huge sigh of relief. Turns out, it was just a perfectly timed rest day for one of their absolute hottest hitters, and the man himself insisted he felt “fine” on Sunday. Thank goodness, right?
The Knee Scare That Wasn’t (Thank the Baseball Gods)
Manager Dave Roberts laid it all out, and honestly, it makes total sense. He said the off day wasn’t originally on the schedule, but after Tucker got dinged, it was a no-brainer to give him a break. Why? The guy had already played ten games in a row, he’s been absolutely crushing it at the plate, and a strategic downtime keeps that momentum going. So, he gets two full days off, then he’s fired up and ready to smash for the final six games of the season. Good thinking, Skip. This isn’t even close to that nasty right shin fracture he picked up back in 2024 when he was with the Houston Astros, an injury that benched him for two whole months. Nope, this one was higher up on his leg, and clearly, nowhere near as serious. Tucker even pinch-hit in the eighth inning on Sunday, which just tells you he was ready to roll if Roberts really needed him. What a relief!
Tucker’s Untouchable Streak and Key Reinforcements
Let’s be real, giving Tucker a breather right now feels almost criminal, purely because he’s playing the best baseball of his entire season. This dude is on an absolute tear! We’re talking five home runs in his last ten starts, which is just bonkers. And if you look at his slash line since September 9, it’s a ridiculous .417/.500/.972. The man is seeing beach balls out there. He’s also a total workhorse, second only to the machine that is Freddie Freeman in games played (148), starts (141), and plate appearances (602) for the Dodgers this year. That kind of consistency is clutch, especially heading into the final stretch.
Speaking of getting key guys back, keep an eye out for center fielder Andy Pages to likely get activated off the injured list on Tuesday. That’s perfect timing for the series opener against the San Diego Padres. Pages has been sidelined for a tough 27 games, ever since a fastball broke his left hand back on August 21. Getting his bat back in the lineup is huge, and get this: his service time means he’ll be eligible for Super Two salary arbitration this offseason. That’s a big win for him. Oh, and before Sunday’s game, the Dodgers also took a moment to honor long-time third base coach Joey Amalfitano and knuckleball legend Charlie Hough, giving them the Tommy Lasorda I Bleed Dodger Blue Award. Always cool to see the legends get their proper recognition.
Looking Ahead to the Padres Series
So, the Dodgers are going to be absolutely ready to roll on Tuesday when they kick off that series against the Padres. Tucker will be back in the mix after his two perfectly timed rest days, Pages is likely activated and back in the lineup, and the whole squad will be locked in to finish this season strong. You just love to see it when a scare turns into a smart move. Bring on the Padres!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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