Dodgers' Major Lineup Change is Here to Stay Amid Kyle Tucker Struggles

Ahead of Thursday's game against the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts penciled in star outfielder Kyle Tucker in the cleanup spot.

The series finale at Oracle Park marked the first time Tucker had hit lower than the No. 2 spot in the lineup, and the change will remain that way for the foreseeable future.

Manager Dave Roberts explained why he had Tucker hitting cleanup, and shifted Freddie Freeman up to hit second in the Dodgers' 3-0 win over the Giants.

"I think it's more of just trying to give Kyle a different look. I think that he's obviously going through it right now and not feeling great at the plate," Roberts said. "So sometimes, the different visual, letting the game come to you a little bit before jumping in there in the two, changes your outlook and potentially the results."

In his first game in the four-spot, Tucker went 2-for-4 with a run. Thursday's matchup marked Tucker's first hit of the Dodgers' series against the Giants, so it's safe to say the change made an immediate impact.

“Trying to figure out a way to get him back to being who he is, and the successful hitter that he’s been, is the goal," Roberts said. "So maybe a switch in the lineup, a different outlook, might change that.”

Roberts and Tucker have gone back and forth on why the outfielder is struggling in his first season with the back-to-back champions. But the Dodgers skipper remains firm in his stance.

"I do feel he's trying to do too much," Roberts said "It's still a prime part in the order, and so I'd like to think that it's not pressure-based, but the reality is that he's scuffling right now. I definitely expect him to come out of it and hit, get on base and do what he's done for many years."

Tucker is coming off a stellar 2025 campaign that saw him hit .266 with 22 home runs, 73 runs batted in and an OPS of .841. The star outfielder made his fourth consecutive All-Star appearance last season.

This year, Tucker has struggled to start the 2026 campaign. He's hitting .245 with three homers, 13 RBIs and an OPS of .699.

The Dodgers still can't pinpoint why Tucker isn't hitting like he's used to.

“He’s clearly just not comfortable. He’s frustrated, doing extra work with the hitting [coaches], but I don’t right now have an answer," Roberts said. "I think when he does get a pitch in the zone, whether it’s not putting a good swing on it or getting beat … yeah … I don’t really have an answer for that."

The Dodgers signed Tucker to a four-year, $240 million deal in the winter. The team had a clear need for an outfielder and the front office inked a deal with the best free agent available.

While it's only April, Tucker will need to start finding his rhythm as the Dodgers chase the three-peat.

Add us as a preferred source on Google