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Kyle Tucker is back in the Dodgers’ lineup Friday night, per Jack Harris at the New York Post, as he tries to reset after what’s been a genuinely rough first half by his standards. Tucker had been out of the lineup briefly, but he’s slotted right back in as the club looks for him to find his swing before the All-Star break.

Tucker came to Los Angeles as one of the marquee additions of last offseason, and the expectations were enormous. He’d been one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball during his time with the Astros — a lefty bat with real pop, a strong eye at the plate, and the kind of consistency that made him a perennial All-Star candidate. His 2024 season was cut short by injury, but when healthy, Tucker had posted back-to-back years with an OPS north of .900 in Houston. The Dodgers bet big that he’d be a cornerstone of their lineup for years to come.

That bet hasn’t paid off yet — at least not in the first half. Tucker has struggled at the plate for long stretches, and his numbers heading into the break are well below the production the Dodgers expected when they signed him. Manager Dave Roberts addressed the situation earlier this week, saying he wants Tucker to simply “get back to who he is.” That’s the right message. Tucker’s track record is too long and too good to panic over one rough stretch, but there’s no sugarcoating it either — the Dodgers need more from him.

What’s encouraging is that the club isn’t benching him or burying him in the order. They’re putting him right back out there, which tells you the confidence in his talent hasn’t wavered internally. Tucker is the kind of hitter who can get hot and make up a lot of ground in a hurry. We’ve seen him do it before — he’s historically been a much better second-half performer, and that’s exactly what the Dodgers are banking on now.

For us, this is one of the bigger storylines to watch over the next few weeks. If Tucker finds his groove, this lineup goes from very good to legitimately terrifying. If the struggles continue deep into the second half, the front office might have to get creative at the trade deadline to supplement the offense. I still believe in the talent here. Tucker’s swing is too pure and his approach too sound for this to last. But belief doesn’t show up in the box score — he’s got to go out and prove it. Getting back in the lineup is step one.

Source(s): Jack Harris (New York Post) | First reported: June 27, 2026 12:50 PM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers