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Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Kyle Tucker has had an underwhelming first season with his new organization. He signed a record-breaking four-year, $240 million contract this past winter and it is safe to say he has not performed up to that value.
Across his first 94 games, the 29-year-old has posted a .240 batting average, .335 on-base percentage, .702 OPS, seven home runs and 47 RBIs.
For a player with an impressive track record as a Gold Glover, two-time Silver Slugger and four-time All-Star, that is simply not going to cut it, even on the best team in the league.
Tucker has the second half to rewrite how this season will look, but for now it does not look promising.
The Dodgers understand how much pressure Tucker is putting on himself to perform, and after a rough series individually against the New York Yankees, manager Dave Roberts decided to give him a day off.
The Dodgers announced their lineup for Monday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies and revealed they had decided to replace Tucker with outfielder Alex Call.
Call has the ability to play all over the outfield, and since the addition of Tucker he has not seen the field much.
This year, Call has posted a .250 batting average, .363 on-base percentage and .684 OPS. Given what Tucker has provided, he is not much of a downgrade, which speaks to just how disappointing Tucker's first half has been. The difference is that Tucker is being paid over $55 million more than Call.
Tucker should be available off the bench as a pinch hitter, but given that he has gone just 2-for-13 in the second half with two strikeouts and two grounded into double plays, a full day to reset may be exactly what he needs.
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