Kyle Tucker agreement leads to Dodgers outfield being 'potential strength'

ANAHEIM, CA – AUGUST 24: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs bats during to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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By Drew VonScio

Contributing Sports Writer

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The Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly agreed to a four-year deal with outfielder Kyle Tucker Thursday night.

This deal will pay him an average of $60 million per year with opt outs after Year 2 and Year 3. While the Dodgers have now become the league's enemy (even more so now than ever before), Los Angeles certainly needed to fill a void in the outfield.

Now, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal believes the Dodgers outfield, which was a major weakness last season, could potentially be one of the team's best positions this upcoming season.

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ANAHEIM, CA - AUGUST 24: Kyle Tucker #30 of the Chicago Cubs bats during to the game against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 24, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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"If Tommy Edman was unable to play center field coming off right ankle surgery, the Dodgers were looking at opening the season with Andy Pages in center, Teoscar Hernández in one corner and Ryan Ward and Alex Call platooning in the other," Rosenthal wrote for The Athletic. "Now, a previous weakness — Dodgers left fielders ranked 17th last season in OPS — looks like a potential strength."

The Dodgers, according to Rosenthal, will have Tucker take over right field. Teoscar Hernandez will shift over to left field, and Andy Pages will slot into center field.

This trio of outfielders has the potential to be a strength offensively, but Pages will have a lot of work to do to keep this group strong defensively. Hernandez has never been a quality defender, and Tucker's defensive value has been inconsistent over the course of his career.

With the elite pitching the Dodgers have, that will certainly help to mask the fielding deficiencies of Hernandez and Tucker. The goal would be, with a Shohei Ohtani-led rotation, to get most of the opposing contact hit right at these two in order to avoid any possible miscues.

Offensively, though, the lineup is much better with Tucker's presence. He will slot right in to the heart of the order for the Dodgers and help to provide even more protection for Hernandez, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy.