Kyle Tucker inked a monster $60-million-a-year deal with the Dodgers this offseason, but man, it’s been a rough ride for him so far. His bat isn’t just cold, it’s in the deep freeze. Tucker’s currently sitting on a measly .240 batting average, a full 30 points below what he usually puts up, and he’s barely on pace to crack double-digit homers, looking at only 11 for the season. To make it even tougher, his WAR is a shockingly low 0.9. It’s a huge contract that’s really not working out, save for his bank account.
The Pressure Cooker, or Lack Thereof?
You’d think a guy pulling down that kind of money would be feeling the heat, right? But Bill Shaikin over at the L.A. Times actually argues this gamble hasn’t really cost the Dodgers much. Talk about wild! With Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto all rocking huge deals and soaking up the spotlight, Tucker kinda gets a pass. The heavy lifting and the blinding pressure just don’t fall on him. Tucker himself weighed in, saying, “Everyone here is very talented. Everyone is here to help each other out. Everyone here just wants to get back to another World Series, and win it. So I’m trying to do my part and just play baseball.” Manager Dave Roberts seems to appreciate the effort, too. He feels Tucker’s at-bats are improving, even if the results aren’t there yet. Roberts noted, “The thing that I’ve appreciated since Day 1 is, he hasn’t run from his struggles. He’s owned it.” That’s a good sign, but eventually, you gotta produce.
Trade Deadline Buzz: No Big Splash?
With the trade deadline just two weeks out, the rumor mill is churning like crazy. Katie Woo from The Athletic is reporting that sources are saying injuries to Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith won’t change how Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers front office approach making this team World Series ready. It sounds like their strategy of “improving around the edges” from past seasons isn’t going anywhere. Don’t expect any massive moves. Instead, it seems like the team is banking on their own injured players rejoining the club around the deadline. So, if you were hoping for a big name like Tarik Skubal or a new catcher to step in for Smith, you might want to temper those expectations. Friedman is known for surprising moves, so you never really know, but as of now, it’s looking like an internal fix.
It’s a waiting game now. Will Tucker finally get things going and start contributing to this team’s success? And will Friedman stick to his guns or pull a rabbit out of his hat by the August 3rd deadline?
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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