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Kyle Tucker will not be in the Dodgers lineup for the remainder of the Minnesota Twins series and isn’t expected back until at least the start of the San Diego Padres series on Friday, per Dodger Blue. Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday that Tucker was “feeling better” but still wasn’t available in any capacity — not as a pinch hitter, not as a defensive replacement, nothing. The lower back spasms that forced him out of Monday’s series opener are clearly being taken seriously.

Tucker has been one of the most important additions to this roster since arriving from Houston. When he’s right, he’s a legitimate middle-of-the-order force — a left-handed bat with power, patience, and the ability to drive the ball to all fields. He was an All-Star with the Astros and has consistently posted OPS numbers well above league average throughout his career. Back spasms can be tricky, though. They’re the kind of thing that can linger if a player tries to push through too quickly, and the Dodgers are clearly erring on the side of caution here. Shutting him down for at least three games rather than trying to squeeze him back in for a Wednesday matinee is the right call.

Roberts’ language is telling. He didn’t say Tucker was day-to-day in the traditional sense — he specifically pointed to the Padres series as the earliest realistic return window. That’s a gap of at least three full games, which suggests the spasms were significant enough that the training staff wants to give Tucker real time off his feet before ramping him back up. For a player who relies on torque and rotational power at the plate, a balky lower back is not something you mess around with.

The timing isn’t ideal. The Padres series is a divisional matchup that carries real weight, and having Tucker in the lineup for that one matters more than squeezing him into a mid-week game against Minnesota. If he can get right by Friday, the Dodgers will take that trade-off. In the meantime, the outfield depth gets tested — we’ve seen this front office build rosters specifically to absorb absences like this, and now that depth earns its keep. The bigger concern would be if this drags past Friday and starts eating into more consequential games down the line. For now, the Dodgers are managing it smartly. Get Tucker healthy, get him back for the Padres, and move on.

Source(s): Staff (Dodger Blue) | First reported: June 24, 2026 1:03 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers