LOS ANGELES — Kyle Tucker has produced essentially the same numbers for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season as he always has — just not at Dodger Stadium.That’s become a problem for Tucker and the Dodgers in the first season of his four-year, $240 million contract, which set a record for highest average annual value, and it’s the oddest reason a player has sat out a game for the reigning back-to-back champs.Tucker has produced an .840 OPS in his 245 plate appearances when on the road this season, right in line with his career mark (.844). At home, he has morphed into a shell of himself, putting up a .566 OPS and looking like a completely different hitter.The Dodger Stadium version of Tucker would rank as the worst qualified hitter in baseball this season. So when Dave Roberts sat him at home Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers, the manager said his extreme home-road splits were part of the reason.“Just being at home right now, I see the frustration,” Roberts said.The recent sample has added to a growing, perplexing trend. Tucker had a strong trip last week through Chicago and Arizona, collecting eight hits and a pair of home runs and showing enough encouraging signs to say, “I feel a lot better.”Then the Dodgers returned home. Tucker drew a walk off the bench in his first plate appearance of the homestand and has reached only twice since, also on walks. The 0-for-16 has dropped his batting average at home this season to .192.Tucker’s drop-off from road to home this season is the second-largest by wRC+ this season. None of the Dodgers coaches or executives asked by The Athletic understand why.
Dodgers sit Kyle Tucker, search for answers behind his confounding home-road splits
The Dodger Stadium version of Tucker would rank as the worst qualified hitter in baseball this season.








