PHOENIX –– It was a prototypical gross sales pitch, save for one determinative query.
A closing character test, earlier than a blockbuster transaction.
Within the closing days of Kyle Tucker’s free company this offseason, the Dodgers hosted a video name with the four-time All-Star that –– for essentially the most half –– was designed to promote him on the staff.
Sitting alongside his spouse, Samantha, Tucker heard from president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, normal supervisor Brandon Gomes and supervisor Dave Roberts. He listened to them clarify the making of the Dodgers’ present dynasty, how the staff helps even famous person acquisitions enhance on the sector, and all of the myriad methods the membership caters to gamers and their households off of it.
Earlier than the decision ended, nonetheless, Friedman turned the tables on the eventual $240 million signee.
He might really feel momentum constructing towards a deal. He might sense the mutual curiosity between the 2 events.
But when the Dodgers have been going to make an almost quarter-billion-dollar funding in Tucker, there was one thing they wanted to be bought on, too.
“It was simply entering into our surroundings, and what our guys do to arrange,” Friedman recalled of the dialog to The California Publish this week. “They do an unbelievable job of setting the usual. So the problem is: Is that one thing you’re up for?”
For nearly as good as Tucker has been over the past six seasons, in spite of everything, the Dodgers felt there was one other degree he had but to faucet into.
Though the 29-year-old boasts two Silver Sluggers, one Gold Glove and one World Sequence ring –– having posted the Eleventh-most wins above substitute amongst place gamers since 2020, in accordance with Fangraphs –– he lacked a signature season during which his transcendent ability set was at full impact.
“As you look again over his profession, clearly he’s had some unbelievable years,” Friedman famous.
But, Tucker’s greatest end in an MVP race was fifth, again in 2022. And in recent times, his efficiency had been impacted by a string of accidents that restricted his enjoying time, in addition to a defensive decline in proper subject that contributed to public questions on his dedication degree.
“We really feel like, with the place he’s at, getting an entire season out of him on either side of the ball could be very attainable,” Friedman stated. “And we really feel like, in our surroundings, we might help carry that out of him much more.”
Thus, Friedman posed his query over the offseason video name.
And a pair months later, recounting Tucker’s reply nonetheless introduced a smile to his face.
“We had an incredible dialog on it,” Friedman stated, “and he was all-in.”
Gold Glove aim
When requested final week how Tucker might degree up now that he’s with the Dodgers, hitting coach Aaron Bates lacked a lot of a solution.
“I don’t know, he’s been a fairly good participant over the past 5, six years,” Bates quipped. “Final 12 months, he was mainly the perfect participant in baseball earlier than he acquired damage.”
Certainly, when wholesome, there’s hardly ever been a query in regards to the menace Tucker poses on the plate.
He’s an on-base machine, because of a disciplined method that has helped him keep away from even a single 100-strikeout season. He additionally brings energy, proudly owning a pair of 30-homer campaigns, and underrated pace, having eclipsed 25 steals thrice.
Final 12 months with the Cubs, a hairline hand fracture led to a second-half stoop for the lefty slugger, who slashed .291/.395/.537 via June however simply .225/.348/.342 thereafter.
Nonetheless, the Dodgers are assured that concern is now behind him, holding excessive hopes about what he’ll do as their new No. 2 hitter sandwiched between Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman within the lineup.
“I wouldn’t put limitations on what he’s able to doing when he’s wholesome, particularly as he enters his prime years,” Bates stated. “But when he can simply be himself, that’s lots adequate.”
That’s why, this spring, the Dodgers’ actual focus with Tucker has been on the defensive facet of the ball –– hoping to couple his elite offensive manufacturing with resurgent play in proper subject, as nicely.
That was the impetus for Friedman’s query to Tucker within the offseason. It was additionally the primary issue Roberts pointed to when requested not too long ago the place Tucker can enhance in 2026.
“That’s one thing he self-admitted he desires to get higher at,” Roberts stated. “I don’t see why he can’t be within the dialog of being one of many elite proper fielders within the sport.”
It wasn’t way back Tucker’s protection was of that caliber. When he gained his Gold Glove in 2022, his 15 defensive runs saved have been tied with Betts for many amongst MLB proper fielders.
Since then, nonetheless, Tucker has suffered stark regression.
During the last three years, MLB’s Statcast system has graded each his outfield vary and skill to get jumps off the ball as beneath league-average. Final season, he posted a damaging mark in DRS, rating worse than even new teammate Teoscar Hernández.
Granted, accidents have been an element. In 2024, he missed three months with a shin fracture. Final 12 months, he was sidelined for a lot of September with a calf pressure.
Nonetheless, the basics of his play additionally slipped.
“He talked in regards to the significance of getting again to the place he was defensively, and the way he had kinda gotten away from his routine,” Friedman stated, referring again to Tucker’s offseason video name. “However he was all-in for getting right into a each day routine. As a result of these are the issues we will management.”
Tucker himself opened up on that dynamic to reporters final week, citing the should be higher at every thing from studying balls off the bat to slicing them off within the gaps. He pointed to how that “doesn’t all the time present up within the rating field, but it surely’s enormous from a staff successful standpoint.”
“You’re by no means gonna be good in baseball or in sports activities, however you possibly can all the time have room for enchancment,” Tucker added. “So I simply attempt to get higher day by day at no matter side of my sport there’s.”
And what would a “higher” model of Tucker seem like this 12 months?
“I don’t know,” he answered. “Hopefully, we will discover out.”
Seamless transition
A part of the Dodgers’ religion in Tucker is rooted of their previous experiences with different star-caliber arrivals.
Within the final half-decade, they’ve taken massive swings by buying Betts, Freeman and Ohtani, amongst others. And in every case, they’ve watched these superstars make a seamless transition to the group, flourishing on the sector whereas strengthening the membership’s tradition behind the scenes.
“Clearly, there’s a variety bias,” Friedman stated. “The fellows that we make investments long-term in, they possess these traits.”
Time will inform if Tucker can observe in these footsteps. For now, his pact with the staff is simply short-term; a four-year deal together with participant opt-outs after the second and third seasons.
Which means, in all chance, he shall be again available on the market within the subsequent couple offseasons, hoping to parlay his success with the Dodgers into one other profitable contract.
But when all goes nicely in Los Angeles, he’s the sort of participant the staff can envision re-signing long-term, too.
“In two years, we’ll know much more about quite a lot of issues than we do now,” Friedman stated the day of Tucker’s introductory information convention in January, after their productive video name helped consummate his official signing. “Simply because he opts out doesn’t imply we gained’t be there to attempt to signal him.”
Up to now, in spite of everything, Tucker has stated and executed all the appropriate issues –– taking the problem Friedman posed throughout his recruiting course of, and committing to satisfy it as he enters his highly-anticipated debut Dodger season.
“I simply suppose he’s a heckuva participant,” Roberts stated. “For me, it’s simply proceed to be who you might be, and we’ll see the place it takes us.”
