While the back-to-back World Series champions recovered from the series loss at home with an 11-5 win Monday, Kyle Tucker’s struggles continued to extend. And now, it has attracted an honest verdict from MLB analyst Eric Karros.
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“I honestly think the best thing right now is a reset,” Eric Karros commented on Tucker during Monday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies. “This organization has done it in the past. Cody Bellinger, Chris Taylor. You’ve got a month and a half.
“It’s not ideal, and it’s not working. It’s not just at the plate; it’s out in the field, it’s everywhere.”
He was booed by the Dodgers fans after dropping a catch in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. But his defensive error was only a fraction of the problem. He has the worst numbers in his career since his rookie year. And his average at home is far worse. Even after a day off, Tucker couldn’t do justice to his 4-year, $240 million contract with the LA side. And the MLB analyst didn’t feel the need to sugarcoat it.
Back in 2024, Tucker was slashing .289/.408/.585 with a .993 OPS for the Houston Astros. They traded him to the Chicago Cubs at the end of that year, and he still managed to record a .266 batting average and .841 OPS. But then came the $60 million per year deal, and he broke the hearts of thousands of Cubs fans. But it appeared to be counterproductive for the four-time MLB All-Star.
Tucker currently has a .230 AVG. What’s worse is that he’s batting .189 at Dodger Stadium. While the team was able to put 11 runs on the board, the 29-year-old went hitless yet again. And his current OPS is over 150 points below his career average.
“You’ve got to remove all the ‘Hey, he was a free agent signing, hey he’s this, hey he’s that,’” Karros added further. “What you have in front of you is you have a guy who is struggling, who is uber-talented and can be one of the best players in the game. But I just feel like this is just spinning wheels.”
He even said that he would be willing to talk to the player regarding a possible demotion. But that move would require consent from Kyle Tucker first. If he does, the Dodgers can offer him a ‘reset’ through a ten-day IL. Otherwise, it might be tough for both him and his team to work through the struggle in the big leagues.
The Dodgers are already under a lot of pressure after dropping 12 of their last 20 games. Particularly when ten of them were home games. They are the second-best division leader (75-51) in the National League. But ESPN insider Buster Olney warned them of a grave scenario.
If they fall behind the Atlanta Braves to become the number 3 seed, they would have to play and win an extra series to achieve their three-peat dream. And their current condition isn’t the most ideal either. Hence, taking a chance with a struggling star might not remain an option for long.