'pretty Healthy' Kyle Tucker Content To Fit In Among Dodgers' Galaxy Of Stars

PHOENIX — There are expectations surrounding caller Dodgers correct fielder Kyle Tucker — not astonishing for personification pinch a four-year, $240-million contract.

But first things first.

“Last twelvemonth I sewage 1 deed successful outpouring [training], truthful hopefully I get much than that,” Tucker said, sharing a laughter pinch reporters aft grounding retired and stepping successful 2 sheet appearances successful his Cactus League debut connected Sunday. “So, that’s nan goal. But I mean, [I’m] conscionable emotion comfortable.”

In a clubhouse afloat of superstar players, nan emotion seems communal pinch his teammates.

“I’m gladsome he’s pinch us,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said, adding: “Yeah, There mightiness beryllium different superstars connected this team, but it’s not really anyone’s attraction here. It’s each astir getting successful each day, moving hard, helping america triumph a ballgame that time and moving toward nan eventual extremity of winning nan World Series.”

It was a communicative of 2 seasons for nan 29-year-old Tucker successful 2025.

Through nan first 3 months of nan year, Tucker had nan Chicago Cubs’ discourtesy humming, powering nan nine to a 53-35 start. Entering July, Tucker was batting .291 pinch a .395 on-base percentage, .931 OPS, 17 location runs, 52 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Tucker recovered himself successful nan mediate of nan National League MVP chat arsenic nan Cubs sat successful first spot successful nan NL Central.

But from July 1 done nan extremity of nan season, he batted conscionable .225, posting a .690 OPS, 5 location runs and 21 RBI, a acold outcry from his first half that earned him a commencement successful correct section successful nan All-Star Game.

It was later revealed that Tucker sustained a hairline fracture successful June, which he played through. In September, he suffered a calf strain, landing him connected nan injured list.

He vanished nan play pinch a .266 batting mean and 22 location runs, profession lows for him. That did not deter nan Dodgers, and it was an easy waste for Tucker arsenic well.

“Every statement is unsocial successful its ain sense,” Tucker said. “But this statement evidently nan past mates of years has done beautiful well, truthful I deliberation that’s a immense portion of nan beforehand agency and them doing their portion and trying to get a awesome group together. Just awesome group and awesome athletes, and past trying to conscionable put nan champion merchandise retired connected nan section for nan metropolis of Los Angeles and nan fans. I deliberation they’ve done a beautiful bully occupation of that truthful far. Hopefully, we tin support winning for them.”

Despite what happened past play pinch Tucker, Dodgers head Dave Roberts is assured successful nan newly-signed star.

“For maine and nan group that I talked to and really he goes astir it, there’s thing antagonistic for me,” Roberts said past week. “I emotion guys that conscionable travel to activity and emotion playing and competing. So, he conscionable wants to win. He’s not a self-promoter; he’s not going to springiness [the media] a bunch of awesome soundbites. He wants to play to win, and I emotion guys for illustration that. So, I’m excited to person him and get to cognize him moreover more.”

Tucker missed conscionable nether 3 weeks successful nan season’s last month. He would not return to nan outfield successful 2025, manning nan designated-hitter spot for nan Cubs, whose play ended astatine nan hands of nan Brewers successful 5 games successful nan NL Division Series. Tucker says he felt bully each offseason and is emotion moreover amended successful nan early days of campy pinch his caller team.

“It was a beautiful patient [offseason],” Tucker said. “At nan beginning, I mightiness person still been benignant of nursing nan calf a small bit. But it was benignant of emotion beautiful bully correct astatine nan end. I deliberation if we had moved onto nan adjacent series, I astir apt would person gone to nan outfield, truthful I wish I could person gotten retired location for that. Overall, successful nan offseason, I felt beautiful healthy, and [feel beautiful healthy] going into campy truthful far.”

Alex Vesia returns to nan mound

Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia made his Cactus League debut successful Monday’s 3-0 triumph complete nan Seattle Mariners — nan first clip he’s sounded successful a crippled of immoderate benignant since his newborn girl died past fall.

Entering Monday’s crippled successful nan 5th inning to a large ovation, Vesia struck retired 1 and retired nan broadside successful order. He past received a lukewarm greeting by his teammates successful nan dugout.

“Being astir nan guys, it’s really been comforting,” Vesia said. “These guys are my brothers, I genuinely emotion each of them. It’s meant a lot.”

Dodgers group starting pitchers for nan week

Before Monday’s game, Roberts revealed starting pitchers for this week. Gavin Stone will return nan mound Tuesday, Roki Sasaki will commencement Wednesday earlier Tyler Glasnow makes his first commencement of nan Cactus League Thursday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will commencement for nan 2nd clip Friday, successful what will apt beryllium his last commencement earlier joining Team Japan for nan World Baseball Classic.

Over nan past 2 offseasons, nan Dodgers spent a mixed $141 cardinal connected alleviation pitchers Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott, some of whom are expected to make their first outpouring training appearances later this week.

“I deliberation Tanner and Edwin are going either Wednesday aliases Thursday successful nan Cactus League games,” Roberts said. “Those guys, we’ll commencement to spot them this week.”