Kyle Tucker Has Surprised Dodgers Hitting Coach in One Key Aspect

The pursuit of top free agent Kyle Tucker was the most talked about topic over the course of the offseason.

Everyone had something to say about Tucker, even beyond his abilities on the field. The analysis of the slugger even came down to his personality and demeanor in the clubhouse.

Would Tucker fit best with the New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays or Los Angeles Dodgers given the outfielder's quiet manner?

The free agency sweepstakes for Tucker ended with a four-year, $240 million deal from the back-to-back World Series champions.

During his introductory press conference at Dodger Stadium, Tucker addressed the somewhat negative perception of him as a player.

"I mean, I don't read into it a whole lot. I know what I try to do out on the field and what I bring to the clubhouse. I try and do my best out there regardless of how I feel or what the situation is. I'm going to try and go out there and win games," Tucker said.

"If you're struggling throughout the season, but you're able to move guys over, or hit a ground ball to second to get a guy in from third, draw walks and make pitchers work, or make a play on defense, little things like that can add up to a lot of wins throughout the season.

"Some of the stuff might not show up on the scorecard, but guys in the clubhouse and front office will notice little things like that.

"I just try and block out noise and anything like that. I'm fired up. I've been playing in the playoffs for a while now. There's nothing that really beats that and the excitement that comes with that, so I'm excited to continue that out here."

Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates is someone who has taken notice of Tucker's surprise quirks, which includes how talkative the star actually is.

Bates told The Athletic Tucker is “more talkative than people said he would be."

That helped the Dodgers work with him through some early-season struggles.

Entering Tuesday's game against the New York Mets, Tucker is hitting .237 with just one home, nine runs batted in and an OPS of .657.

Manger Dave Roberts believes the outfielder's struggles can be linked to trying to do too much at the plate while also trying to impress the back-to-back champions.

“I think there’s a little bit to that,” Roberts said. “Typically when guys chase, they’re trying to do a little bit too much.”

However, Tucker did not agree with Roberts' evaluation.

“I don’t try to do too much or try and do certain things,” Tucker said to The Athletic. “I just try and be the same player every single time. Sometimes you have good games, sometimes you don’t.”

“I’ve missed some pitches that I feel the at-bat should have been over with,” Tucker added to the California Post. “Then you just get deeper into counts. And then whatever happens after that, happens.”

Bates believes Tucker is still acclimating to his new chapter in LA, which can be a challenge for the All-Star.

“We’re just letting him get settled in and come to grips with that and not try to do too much at the plate. That’s the biggest thing," Bates said.

One thing is clear, however.

Tucker isn't afraid to speak up, which is good news for his new organization.

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