Dodgers' Tucker Gets First Walk-Off Win in LA

After weeks of grinding through a slow start, Kyle Tucker finally got the moment he needed in front of his new home crowd.

The Dodgers' right fielder knocked a two-run single up the middle Monday night, walking off the Marlins 5-4 and giving Los Angeles fans their first glimpse of why the team invested $240 million in him this offseason. Down to their final out with two runners in scoring position, Tucker stayed calm and delivered.

His reaction? Totally on brand for the famously stoic star.

Tucker paused at first base, seemingly unsure if the game was actually over. "It wasn't quite loud yet until we actually ended up winning the game," he said. "I was like, 'Did I get the score wrong?'"

Then his teammates rushed the field, and first baseman Freddie Freeman wrapped him in a bear hug. Manager Dave Roberts watched from the dugout, amused. "Did he smile?" Roberts joked.

He did. Tucker grinned ear to ear as he high-fived his way through the celebration, savoring the Dodgers' 20th win of the season.

The Bright Side

Tucker's been working through the toughest stretch of his career since joining Los Angeles. The team even dropped him from the number two spot in the batting order last week, hoping a change of scenery in the lineup might help him relax.

It's working. Tucker's swing has looked sharper over the past several games, even when the hits weren't falling. "It's tough sometimes, just because you don't see the results right away," he said. "But you just kinda stick to it and try to get as much quality contact as you can and wait for them to drop."

Roberts believes the lineup change has helped the game "come to him a little bit slower," and Monday night proved the manager right. Tucker stayed patient against reliever Tyler Phillips, taking two splitters before slapping the second one into the outfield to end the game.

His teammates are already working on loosening him up, and Roberts thinks it's only a matter of time before Tucker becomes the emotional leader the Dodgers know he can be. Even Shohei Ohtani started reserved before finding his comfort zone in Los Angeles.

For now, one smile and one walk-off hit mark the beginning of Tucker's LA story.