SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 26: Kyle Tucker #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on June 26, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
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The Los Angeles Dodgers arrived in 2026 boasting a championship-caliber roster and one of the sport’s most costly acquisitions.
Five-tool outfielder Kyle Tucker was expected to bolster an already formidable lineup after signing a four‑year, $240 million deal in the offseason. Instead, his debut season in Los Angeles has turned into an unexpected hurdle for a club pursuing another World Series title.
His difficulties have been especially evident at home recently, raising concerns about the four‑time All‑Star’s performance.
“Tucker went 0‑for‑19 during the team’s seven‑game homestand,” Jack Harris noted in the New York Post on Monday. “He was benched on Saturday, a move manager Dave Roberts intended as a mental reset to address Tucker’s home‑field hitting struggles.”
Beyond the plate, Tucker has also faltered defensively, failing to make routine catches on multiple occasions.
A longtime Dodgers veteran has now recommended a far more drastic course of action.
Former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, who now serves as a broadcaster for the team, argues that a single benching will not suffice for the high‑priced free agent.
“I honestly believe the best course right now is a reset,” Karros stated in a recent broadcast clip shared by Foul Territory. “He should go to Arizona, where the team’s training complex resides, to work on adjustments and change his approach. This situation is far from ideal and simply isn’t working.”
Karros’s recommendation is noteworthy given the Dodgers’ history of employing similar tactics with struggling players. He cited Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor as recent examples of athletes who improved after the organization gave them time away from the major‑league spotlight to address their challenges.
Karros added, “I don’t care; the club has done this before—I’ve seen it with Cody Bellinger and Chris Taylor. You must strip away the labels—‘he’s a free‑agent signing,’ ‘he’s this,’ ‘he’s that’—and focus on the player who is simply struggling.”
Tucker’s $240 million contract complicates matters. The Dodgers did not anticipate signing a player who would need shielding from the major‑league spotlight, yet the financial commitment should not impede the organization from taking whatever steps are necessary to restore his performance.
Nevertheless, several factors suggest a turnaround remains feasible. Tucker’s career résumé is too impressive to discount after a single rough season. However, Karros stressed that expecting him to overcome his issues while remaining on the active roster has proven ineffective, making a temporary assignment to the Dodgers’ Arizona training complex a worthwhile consideration.
Karros remarked, “You’ve had a month and a half to try various adjustments here, and it hasn’t yielded results. I believe a reset is needed.”
