Kyle Tucker is struggling to find answers for his historically poor performance at Dodger Stadium during his debut season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. "I don't really know," Tucker said Monday when asked about his struggles. "If I knew, I'd probably have figured it out by now."
Tucker, who signed a $240 million contract this offseason, has been unable to maintain consistency. He indicated that despite trying various approaches, he encounters setbacks whenever he feels progress is being made. This season is shaping up to be one where he sets career lows in batting average (.232) and OPS (.700), falling short of the weighty expectations that accompanied him as a four-time All-Star free agent.
"First time in my life," Tucker stated when asked if he had ever experienced a season like this.
Recently, a 15-game stretch from July 24 to Aug. 9 showed signs of improvement, with Tucker batting .298 with four home runs and more walks than strikeouts. However, this recent positive stretch was followed by a significant downturn during the Dodgers' recent seven-game homestand, where he went 0-for-19.
Manager Dave Roberts opted to bench Tucker on Saturday, hoping it would provide a mental reset for his hitting issues at home. Before a series in Denver on Monday, Tucker remained without specific solutions. "If I knew, I'd obviously change something," he reiterated. "But just gotta keep playing."
Despite the struggles at home, Tucker has performed well on the road. Entering Monday's game, he was batting .275 with nine home runs, 37 RBIs, and an .840 OPS in away games, which aligns more closely with his career averages. In contrast, his home performance this year includes a .189 average, two home runs, 17 RBIs, and a .558 OPS.
Among qualified MLB hitters this season, only Nasim Nuñez of the Washington Nationals has a lower OPS in home games. According to Codify Baseball data, Tucker is the only MLB hitter since 1969 to have an 85-game home span with a batting average below .182, an on-base percentage below .288, and a slugging percentage below .266 across at least 338 plate appearances.
Tucker downplayed the idea that he tries harder on the road than at home, attributing the difference to how the season has unfolded. He also stated that struggling in front of a new fanbase in Los Angeles adds no extra frustration compared to struggling on the road.
He also minimized the significance of the day off given by Roberts, describing it as an opportunity to "work through stuff swing-wise and whatnot throughout the day."
Looking ahead, Tucker expressed a desire to remain optimistic and focus on the positives, hoping to build momentum for the remainder of the season and the postseason, despite his ongoing inability to find his rhythm at home.
"You just got to keep going, try and at least pick out the positives, and just try and ride with that," Tucker said. "Just keep on moving to the next day and hope for something to build on."