Dodgers Veteran Calls For Kyle Tucker Roster Move As Concerns Mount

The Los Angeles Dodgers entered 2026 with another championship-caliber roster and one of baseball’s most expensive new additions.

Five-tool outfielder Kyle Tucker was supposed to make an already dangerous lineup even tougher to pitch to after signing a four-year, $240 million contract in the offseason. Instead, Tucker’s first season in Los Angeles has become one of the more unexpected problems on a team chasing another World Series.

His struggles have become particularly pronounced at home lately, where concerns are growing around the four-time All-Star.

“Tucker went 0-for-19 on the team’s seven-game homestand,” Jack Harris wrote for the New York Post on Monday. “He was sat (or, perhaps more accurately, benched) on Saturday in what manager Dave Roberts had hoped would serve as a mental reset amid his home hitting problems.”

And the problems have extended beyond the batter’s box, as Tucker has struggled to make routine catches on more than one occasion.

Now, a longtime Dodgers veteran has suggested that the organization take a much more drastic approach.

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Former Dodgers first baseman Eric Karros, now a broadcaster for the club, believes that a one-off benching for the star free agent addition won’t be enough.

“I honestly think the best thing right now is a reset,” Karros said during a recent broadcast, as seen in a clip shared byFoul Territory. “I think you need to go to Arizona (where the team’s training complex is) and start working on some things, change some things… This is just not ideal and it’s not working.”

Karros’ suggestion is notable because the Dodgers have previously used similar approaches with struggling players. The former first baseman specifically pointed to a pair of recent examples of players who have benefited from the organization giving them space to work through difficult stretches.

“And, I don’t care, this organization has done it in the past and I’ve seen it. Cody Bellinger, you know, Chris Taylor,” Karros added. “You’ve got to remove all of the, ‘Hey he’s a free agent signing, hey he’s this, hey he’s that.’ What you have in front of you is you have a guy who’s struggling.”

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Tucker’s contract makes the situation particularly difficult. The Dodgers did not spend $240 million expecting a player who needed to be protected from the major league spotlight. But the team’s investment also shouldn’t prevent the organization from making whatever adjustment it believes could get Tucker back on track.

Yet there is still plenty of reason for the Dodgers to believe a turnaround is possible. Tucker’s track record is far too strong to simply dismiss after one difficult season. But Karros emphasized that asking Tucker to work through his struggles in game settings is clearly not working, which is why a move off of the active roster and a stint at the team’s training facility in Arizona might be worth considering.

“You’ve got a month and a half and you’ve tried things here,” Karros said. “I think you need a reset.”

This article was originally published on Forbes.com