Kyle Tucker addressed reporters at a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference on June 28, 2026, discussing his offensive struggles, his approach at the plate, and the condition of his back.
Tucker acknowledged that his at-bats have been only okay during this stretch, noting that better swings earlier in counts could have changed outcomes. "If I put better swings on the ball, at-bat probably would have been over at that point rather than going deeper into the count," he said. His broader hitting philosophy centers on pitch selection: "If you're swinging on good pitches and then make good contact, you make things happen."
Tucker noted this is his first year with the Dodgers and acknowledged the difficulty of reaching this point in the 2026 season without fully getting going offensively. He also explained that his two opposite-field singles came from different pitch types. Tucker stated he stayed inside on a cut fastball — "fast ball kind of cut middle in and was just able to stay inside and push it over there" — while a curveball jammed him on the other hit.
On the subject of his back, Tucker said the issue lasted only about a day or two and that the off day aided his recovery. "Feels fine. It was really for the most part like a day or two, and that last day kind of felt in and the off day definitely helped," he added.
Tucker made clear that personal statistics are not his focus. "I don't really necessarily care about my personal status. As long as we're winning games and I'm able to contribute to that," he explained. His stated plan for moving through the slow start is to remain positive and reset after each game: "Anything that happened yesterday, you just got to move on and do your best at that and just move on to the next game and try to improve."