Los Angeles Dodgers star Kyle Tucker may be getting hot just in time for the playoffs.
The National League West-leading Dodgers (90-57) will look to extend their winning streak to nine games when they visit the Miami Marlins (72-76) on Saturday. The Marlins, in turn, have lost seven of their past eight games.
Tucker went 3-for-3 with a season-high five RBIs in Los Angeles’ 6-2 victory over Miami on Friday. He fell a double short of the cycle.
Entering Friday, Tucker was on pace for his fourth straight month with an OPS at or below .700, and that’s not what the Dodgers thought they were getting when they signed him to a four-year, $240 million contract in January.
Tucker, who has posted OPS numbers of .993 and .841 over the past two years, impressed Marlins manager Clayton McCullough with his performance on Friday.
“Independent of how this season has gone, (Tucker) is still a terrific hitter,” McCullough said. “He handles lefties well. He got a hanging breaking ball and turned the game for them.”
Tucker produced five straight seasons with more than 20 homers before mustering just 14 in 2026. But if he can finish strong, that will help a Dodgers squad that is missing injured sluggers Shohei Ohtani (right biceps inflammation), Freddie Freeman (right knee) and Andy Pages (left hand). Those three players have hit a combined 67 homers this season.
Los Angeles also saw Josue De Paula make his MLB debut on Friday. De Paula went 0-for-3 with a walk after tearing up Double-A pitching.
“We want to get him some major-league at-bats to see what it looks like,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
The Dodgers will turn to right-hander Tyler Glasnow (4-0, 3.12 ERA) to make the start on Saturday.
His per-nine-innings averages are outstanding in terms of hits allowed (5.3), walks (2.7) and strikeouts (10.9). The Dodgers are 8-2 when he starts, and this will be his fourth start since coming back from a near-three-month injury absence.
Glasnow is 1-1 with a 3.86 ERA in five career starts versus the Marlins.
Miami will counter with right-hander Tyler Phillips (5-6, 3.51), who is 1-0 with a 6.94 ERA in six career appearances (one start) against the Dodgers.
For his career overall, Phillips has a sterling 2.49 ERA in 71 relief appearances, but a 5.13 ERA in 25 career starts.
As for Miami’s offense, the Marlins are hoping that shortstop Otto Lopez is back on track after a 4-for-5 performance on Friday.
This year, Lopez hit .322 in March/April; .339 in May; and .340 in June. That hot start made him a first-time All-Star. However, he batted .284 in July and just .236 in August.
Thanks to Friday’s big game, he is now hitting .342 in September.
“After the phenomenal first half, he struggled for a bit,” McCullough said. “He looks to be back in a good spot, hitting the ball to all fields. It’s something we have grown accustomed to, and it bodes well for us to have him get hits in bunches.”
–Field Level Media
