Tucker gets a day off to fix issues at plate
SEATTLE — Frustration mounted for Kyle Tucker on Wednesday. He grounded out twice to first base, including to end a fourthinning threat and strand two runners in scoring position. The baseball left his bat at 100.9 mph and, according to Statcast, carried a .510 expected batting average. Exit velocities and expected batting averages don’t win games, though.
Tucker stranded nine baserunners in Wednesday’s 6-4 loss. The often stoic, emotionless outfielder threw his helmet and slammed his bat into the ground. Manager Dusty Baker sensed the 24year-old needed a day to decompress. Tucker did not start Friday against Seattle lefthander Yusei Kikuchi,
yielding his spot in right field to rookie Chas McCormick.
“I told him ‘Hey, man, it’s a good work day, get in the cage and work and he’ll be back in there tomorrow or late in the game,’ ” Baker said before Friday’s game. “I could just see the frustration, when you throw your helmet or slam your bat, whatever it is, we’ve all been there. I just want him to leave his frustration and start anew.”
Tucker leads the team with four home runs and 11 RBIs. He is only whiffing on 18.9 percent of his swings — lower than any of his first two major league seasons — and has hit 21 balls in play harder than 95 mph. Only 11 other major leaguers have hit more.
Tucker’s problems come in his direction. Too often, Tucker said, he is pulling the baseball to the first baseman. He worked Friday on staying through the ball in order to generate more line drive contact to both gaps.
“I was getting a lot of pitches I should have hit and put in play, and I’d either swing through, foul them off or just hard roll them over to first base,” Tucker said. “After a while, it does get frustrating doing the same thing.”
“If I’m staying through the ball and using the gaps and stuff and they just make good plays, it’s kind of whatever, tip your cap to them. Down the line, I’m way too pull-happy right now. I’m just trying to stay through the ball a little bit better and go line to line.”