Kyle

Tucker

Tucker drove in Alex Freeland with an RBI single into right field off of Kevin Ginkel, snapping a 4-4 tie and proving to be the difference in the contest. He also drew a walk, swiped a base and struck out twice on the night. Through two games, the superstar outfielder is hitting .286 (2-for-7) with two runs scored, two RBI and a stolen base with his new ballclub.

Tucker started out his Dodgers’ tenure with a fielder’s choice, a ground out to first base and a line out to left. He finally got into the fun in the seventh inning, smacking a double up the gap in left center that plated Shohei Ohtani with the Dodgers’ fifth run. He then raced around to score on an RBI single off the bat of Mookie Betts. He’s in perhaps the best lineup spot in all of baseball sandwiched between Ohtani and Betts and should produce stellar fantasy results across the board as long as he manages to stay healthy.

Throughout the spring, the second base position had been framed as a platoon situation between Santiago Espinal and Alex Freeland, so naturally it’s Rojas who gets the start there on Opening Day. It’s likely just manager Dave Roberts respecting and giving the nod to the 37-year-old veteran for Opening Day. Here’s the full lineup against Zac Gallen on Opening Day: Shohei Ohtani (DH), Kyle Tucker (RF), Mookie Betts (SS), Freddie Freeman (1B), Will Smith (C), Max Muncy (3B), Teoscar Hernandez (LF), Andy Pages (CF) and Miguel Rojas (2B).

Tucker took journeyman minor leaguer Trey Supak deep in the opening frame for his second round-tripper of the spring. The 29-year-old outfielder sent shockwaves throughout the baseball universe when he signed with the Dodgers in the offseason but it’s undeniably a phenomenal landing spot from a fantasy standpoint. His spot in the heart of the Dodgers’ loaded lineup puts him firmly in the first round of all drafts this spring.

The homer left his bat at 108 mph and was projected at 419 feet. Tucker left the Dodgers for a week for the birth of his child, but he’s never been one to require a ton of spring at-bats. He’s 3-for-12 with six walks at the moment.

Tucker will reportedly be the designated hitter Sunday after missing a little under a week while his wife gave birth to their first chld. The 29-year-old should be back in the outfield in the coming days.

Tucker will tend to matters more important than baseball, and should be back with the Dodgers well before the start of the regular season.

Roberts said he hasn’t made any final decisions. Second and third are the usual spots of Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, respectively, which made us think Tucker might open up in the cleanup spot. If Tucker bats second, he’d presumably be followed by Betts and Freeman, but if Tucker bats third behind Betts, it might make sense to slide Freeman down to fifth to separate the lefty bats and use Will Smith in the cleanup spot.

Tucker is getting the highest AAV of all-time, at least once one factors in the extreme deferments in Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million-per-year salary. He’s the third player to sign for exactly $240 million. The other two were Albert Pujols’ 10-year deal with the Angels in 2012 and Robinson Cano’s 10-year pact with the Mariners in 2014. Tucker will step in as the Dodgers’ right fielder, shifting Teoscar Hernández to left. Whether he winds up hitting third, fourth or fifth is still to be determined. As long as he’s third or fourth, he’s probably worth picking in the 10-15 range in spring drafts. It’d be surprising to see him hitting fifth, which would take a toll on his value, but, of course, it is a stacked lineup that he’s joining.

The two-time defending World Series champions have added another superstar to their fully-operational Death Star on a short-term deal that contains opt-outs after 2027 and 2028. It’s a phenomenal landing spot for Tucker as he’ll join a star-studded lineup that already features generational talents Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. The perennial 25-homer, 25-steal threat’s extensive track record as an elite five-category fantasy contributor speaks for itself, and he remains a locked-in second-round pick in drafts this spring. He’s the rare all-around hitter whose production largely transcends park factors, though relocating to Dodger Stadium represent a tangible boost to both his over-the-fence power in addition to significant counting stats upside. Durability is the lone blemish on an otherwise pristine profile, as Tucker has navigated consecutive injury-marred seasons, including playing through a fractured hand with the Cubs last year and a prior three-month absence due to a shin fracture during his final season with the Astros. The 28-year-old has decided to take his talents to Los Angeles after weighing offers from the Blue Jays and Mets.