The Los Angeles Dodgers entered Tuesday’s contest against the Colorado Rockies with a lineup adjustment that reflected ongoing concerns about one of their highest-profile offseason additions.
Right fielder Kyle Tucker, who had been batting sixth, was dropped to seventh, with second baseman Tommy Edman sliding into the spot immediately ahead of him.
The move came after the Dodgers had taken the series opener 11-5 the night before, a result that followed a disappointing 1-3 showing against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers.
Tucker’s most recent outing offered little reason for optimism. He finished 0-for-5 and committed a costly two-base error when he dropped a routine fly ball in right field.
That defensive lapse added to a stretch in which the four-time All-Star has gone hitless in seven consecutive games, collecting no hits in 24 at-bats while striking out four times.
His season-long numbers sit at .230/.326/.366 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs, producing a .692 OPS that ranks as the lowest of his career since he reached the majors in 2018.
The struggles have been visible at home as well. Manager Dave Roberts chose not to start Tucker on Saturday after the outfielder expressed frustration with the environment at Dodger Stadium.
Fans had already voiced their displeasure by booing him following a dropped fly ball in the ninth inning of Sunday’s 6-2 loss to Milwaukee. On Tuesday, Tucker acknowledged the difficulty of the season, saying he had tried nearly everything and that every time he felt he was turning a corner another obstacle appeared.
The $240 million, four-year contract Tucker signed last winter was expected to bolster an already potent Dodgers offense. Instead, both he and fellow high-profile addition Edwin Díaz have underperformed while the club has still managed to post the second-best record in the National League.
Los Angeles sits 2.5 games behind Milwaukee, half a game ahead of Atlanta, and eight games in front of San Diego in the NL West.
The Dodgers will wrap up their series with Colorado on Wednesday before an off day Thursday. They then return home to face the Pittsburgh Pirates for three games beginning Friday.
How quickly Tucker can find his rhythm will likely remain a central storyline as the team tries to close the gap on the Brewers and maintain its division lead.
For now, the lineup change represents a modest attempt to give him a slightly different context in which to work through the slump.
