The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Kyle Tucker a four-year, $240 million deal in the offseason, but his numbers have not reflected those of a player who deserves that kind of money.
Tucker was an All-Star in each of the last four seasons and hit 134 home runs from 2021 to 2025. He hit 22 homers for the Chicago Cubs last season in what was considered a down year in the power department for him. He struggled in the second half, battling through some injuries, and struggled at Wrigley Field.
Still, he was the top free agent available, and many believed he would be a superstar in Los Angeles. Instead, he is hitting .232 with an OPS below .700. He has a .558 OPS at home. It's shocking to see such a falloff from Tucker, and Mookie Betts recently noted the internal and external pressures of such a big contract.
"We know Tuck is kind of going through it," Betts said on his podcast "On Base With Mookie Betts" on Thursday. "He came into a tough situation, you know. If you give somebody that kind of contract, there's going to be external pressure, and really internal pressure for himself, because he knows he needs to play well."
Betts noted that veteran Miguel Rojas is someone who has been able to talk to and level with Tucker during this rough season.
"I have all my confidence in Tucker, because I'm really close to him, you know," Rojas said to Betts. "I've been taking my time to get to know him. Trying to help him feel better, not just about himself but his teammates, the people that he's around. Because I am a true believer that when you feel good, you play good. Going out there every day, knowing that the guys have your back, is a good feeling. You go to the field and you say, 'You know what? I look to my left and my right and I see guys who are going to support me even if things are not going great.' I really want him to believe that the opinion that matters is the one that you have on your left and your right."
Rojas, Betts and all of the Dodgers are not blind to what is being said about Tucker in the media. This is the first time in his career that he has not been an elite hitter, and after the contract he got, it's no shock he is the subject of a ton of criticism.