Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has publicly stated his commitment to starting outfielder Kyle Tucker, declaring he will "ride or die" with the player through his current struggles. This sentiment comes despite Tucker experiencing what is shaping up to be a career-worst season.
Externally, calls for Tucker to be platooned or benched have intensified as his offensive numbers have plummeted in the second half of the season. However, the Dodgers' internal decision is to double down on their faith in their marquee offseason free-agent signing. Roberts shared this stance, acknowledging his "young term phrase" of "ride or die" with Tucker.
The manager's commitment was particularly resonant after Tucker showed signs of life in the preceding two games, recording three hits and a home run in each. Hitting coaches had reportedly identified a breakthrough in his swing mechanics. However, Tucker's performance has since regressed, going 0-for-8 in the two games following that brief resurgence, including a strikeout with the bases loaded in a crucial ninth-inning situation.
On the season, Tucker's statistics are starkly disappointing: a .226 batting average and a .692 OPS, contributing a negligible 0.3 wins above replacement. This performance threatens to make him one of the biggest free-agent busts in recent high-priced baseball history. Despite these struggles, the Dodgers are maintaining their commitment to the four-time All-Star, citing his "talent level" and "proven track record."
"I was prepared, the organization was prepared, to give him as much leash as we possibly could to work through some things, and I do think that now we’re starting to see the fruits," Roberts said. "So I see no other reason why we would pivot from running him out there every day."
The root cause of Tucker's dismal season has been a subject of much discussion. Co-hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc described the issue as purely mechanical, noting that Tucker's swing plane is no longer effective. Tucker himself has expressed frustration, stating he feels he has "tried just about everything" without finding a consistent solution.
Tucker's swing has always been unique, characterized by how he lays the bat back and his stride. When in sync, it has made him an elite hitter, drawing comparisons to Ted Williams. However, when out of sync, it becomes a "slippery slope," according to fellow hitting coach Aaron Bates.
Dodgers hitting coaches identified that Tucker was struggling to replicate his previous inside-out swing path, instead cutting across the ball. This has led to a significant drop in his rate of "barreled" balls. Initial attempts to fix this involved having Tucker cycle through old drills, but these proved ineffective.
Potential theories for the slump range from a slow adjustment to his new surroundings to lingering effects from a hand fracture he played through last season. "It definitely seems like things kind of shifted after [that]," Van Scoyoc said, referencing Tucker's struggles in late 2025. "So it could be that, but it might not be. We don’t exactly know."
Last week, a new adjustment appears to have been made. Bates explained that Tucker has found comfort with a "no-roll swing," keeping his hands more square to the field instead of flipping them at the end of his follow-through. This cue has helped flatten his swing, allowing him to stay in the zone longer, adjust to off-speed pitches, and better square up mistakes.
"There’s a lot more room for error hitting the ball, because you can hit it deep and go the other way or catch it out in front and pull it a little bit more," Tucker explained. "Just trying to be consistent with that and be as long through the zone as possible."
Whether this proves to be a lasting breakthrough remains to be seen, but the Dodgers are willing to invest the time to find out. Van Scoyoc maintained that "he can find it in one swing and then go on a run."
Tucker is looking towards the playoffs for validation. "I mean, the numbers probably are what they are, but we’ve got a lot of important games coming next month," he said. "That’s the most important thing ... As long as you win the game and kind of contribute to that in some way, that’s all you can really try and do."
Roberts echoed this sentiment, stating, "If you perform at the right time, all is forgotten."