The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Kyle Tucker to a four-year, $240 million contract this offseason. The massive deal even gave leverage to the MLB owners’ salary cap push for the next CBA. But with less than two months left of the regular season, the Dodgers have yet to fully enjoy the returns from this deal, especially during home stands. With Tucker struggling at Dodger Stadium throughout the season, manager Dave Roberts gave him a rest day on Saturday. However, the move did not sit well with an MLB analyst, and he’s calling the team out on it.

“Kyle Tucker is out of the lineup today in the Dodgers’ most pivotal home series of the year,” Doug McKain, who extensively covers the Dodgers, wrote on X. “They’re keeping a $60 million dollar per year player out of the lineup because of how bad he’a struggling at home? What?! This is so embarrassing.”

The Dodgers are currently in the middle of a crucial series against the Milwaukee Brewers, perhaps their biggest home series of the season. They entered Saturday’s game trailing the NL-leading Brewers, and after Tucker went hitless in his first eight at-bats against them over the previous two games, Roberts chose to keep him out of the lineup on Saturday. The decision was in line with the pattern of Tucker’s home stand slumps this season. Roberts also addressed the issue during his pregame interview.

“Being at home right now, just he’s kind of [frustrated],” Roberts said, per Dodger Nation on X. “Today is a work day, and then he’ll be back in there tomorrow; he’ll play all three in Denver.”

Kyle Tucker’s splits this season at home and on the road are an anomaly. It’s almost as if he becomes a different player at Dodger Stadium. In 59 games, Tucker is slashing only .192/.290/.276 with 2 homers and 17 RBI at home. On the contrary, his slash line on the road reads .275/.371/.469 with 9 homers and 37 RBIs across 56 games. The reason behind such a drastic difference? Neither the team nor the player has figured it out.

“I don’t think he even realized it until recently, when I think people brought it to light. The splits are stark, home-road; I don’t think we have a reason behind it,” Roberts added, per Dodger Nation.

Saturday marked the second time Tucker was given a rest day this week. The Dodgers rested him against the Kansas City Royals on Monday, as the team began a seven-game home stand. Though the Dodgers swept the Royals during the three-game set, the Brewers pose a much tougher challenge.

For the third game of the four-game set, the Dodgers called up Alex Call to replace Tucker in the lineup. However, in front of Jacob Misiorowski, the Dodgers’ lineup fell flat. Through 6 innings, Misiorowski dominated the 2025 World Series champions, allowing only 1 run, 1 walk, and 5 hits. He struck out 6 as the Brewers took the game 4-1.

The only scoring play came from Shohei Ohtani’s triple, which saw Alex Call home. The Dodgers will now aim to split the four-game series on Sunday.