Dave Roberts Calls Out Kyle Tucker for Game-Altering Mistakes vs Cubs

The Los Angeles Dodgers need more from Kyle Tucker.

That's an understatement.

Through 107 games in his first of four seasons with the Dodgers, Tucker has been a below-average player.

However, he's being paid like anything but.

Tucker is earning $68 million this season, and a total of $240 million through 2029.

Yet his fWAR comes in at 0.9, ranking 343rd in MLB and tied with players such as Joshua Kuroda-Grauer of the Athletics — who's played in 16 games this season — and Nick Pivetta of the San Diego Padres, who hasn't pitched since April.

Tucker is hitting just .243 with 10 home runs, 52 RBIs and an OPS of .722. His OPS+ of 101 has him 1% better than league average, and his wRC+ of 103 has him 3% better.

However, when you factor in his defense, he's hurt the Dodgers more than helped.

Tucker ranks in the fifth percentile in MLB in terms of Outs Above Average at minus-7. He has minus-6 Defensive Runs Saved and his Fielding Run Value of minus-5 ranks in the 14th percentile in MLB.

Finally, his Baserunning Run Value is an even zero, ranking in the 50th percentile. His latest mistake on Monday only exemplified his struggles there.

With the Dodgers down down three runs in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs, Tucker got a one-out hit that he tried to stretch into a double.

He was thrown out at second base.

from way back at the warning track. pic.twitter.com/QwChxDg22f
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 4, 2026

“They made a good play,” Tucker said.

Manager Dave Roberts had a different view of it.

"It's just the scoreboard. [Cubs outfielder] Seiya [Suzuki] throws as well as anyone in baseball," Roberts said. “It just doesn’t look good when you’re down three making the first out at second base.

"It just doesn't."

The very next at-bat, Teoscar Hernández hit a ball out of Wrigley Field for a solo home run. Had Tucker been on base, it would've brought the Dodgers within one.

Teoscar Hernández just hit a baseball out of Wrigley Field.

Oh my goodness.

It had a projected distance of 443 feet. pic.twitter.com/p57OA1gNHY
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) August 4, 2026

Kyle Tucker's Defense Haunts Dodgers on Tuesday

On Tuesday, when the Dodgers lost their season-high fifth consecutive game, it was a Tucker defensive play that ultimately hurt them.

In the bottom of the sixth inning with one out and a runner on first, Alex Bregman hit a ball to right field that looked like it should have been caught.

Instead, Tucker whiffed it, and the Cubs had runners on second and third with one out.

They ended up scoring the go-ahead run — and getting Tarik Skubal to 85 pitches, which led Roberts to take him out after six innings.

Kyle Tucker #Dodgers ©SportsNetLA pic.twitter.com/6jqCcwKA5F
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) August 5, 2026

“I know the wind was blowing out a little bit. And honestly I didn’t look at the video,” Roberts said after the game. “But that’s one of those things where, if he makes the play, we’re two outs and a guy on first base, and [Skubal] is going to go into the seventh.

"So it certainly resulted in a lot more pitches thrown. And obviously another run. But Kyle is giving it his best effort.”

Unfortunately, his best effort hasn't led to results. The Dodgers have seen their once 14-game lead in the National League West drop below single digits for the first time since June.

They're also looking up at the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in baseball and No. 1 seed in the NL. They're just a half-game up on the Atlanta Braves for the No. 2 seed and the other first-round bye.

More losses like the ones they've suffered this week, and LA could be playing a wild-card series come the first week of October.

And if they play like they have this week, there's no guarantee they win a best-of-three series.

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