Dodgers babying Kyle Tucker in his first year had better pay off in October

The calendar has flipped to October, and you know what means, it's time for another Kyle Tucker fluff piece. The saddest form of sports commentary that has become a trend in recent years is that when a star player has failed, some in the media believe it's the right time to coddle the individual and say anything other than the quiet part out loud. Kyle Tucker's first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers was a disaster, and no amount of spin is going to change that reality.

Nonetheless, The Athletic's Katie Woo and Fabian Ardaya have some time on their hands this week, and what better time to talk about how Tucker can flip the script on his first year in LA. They want you to know that Tucker is aware of all the things that have been said about him this season, and like Mike Gundy talking down a claims from a reporter many moons ago, he wants you to know "that's not true."

Tucker is a man, he's 29, talk to him. That's what The Athletic did, and Tucker wants you to know that he's not a dementor from Harry Potter. Despite his struggles, and the noise that surrounded his contract with the Dodgers, he's had fun.

I’ve enjoyed my time here,” Tucker said. “Obviously, the better you play, the more fun you probably have, because that’s the whole reason why I’m here in the first place. But I’ve had a lot of fun here. The not-fun part about it is missing pitches and not being able to help the team throughout the year. Outside of that, I’ve had a blast.”

Dodgers' careful handling of Kyle Tucker will finally face the only test that really matters

The reality is these things can often resolve themselves. For everything that has gone wrong for Tucker with the Dodgers this season, if he's a hero during the playoffs, all will be forgotten.

Unfortunately, hope of Tucker simply flipping the switch because it's now playoff baseball may be misguided. Through 279 plate appearances in the playoffs, Tucker is slashing .233/.317/.376 with 58 strikeouts. In other words, during the playoffs, Tucker has been the exact disappointment that he's been with the Dodgers for the entire season.

If Tucker breaks that trend and is a difference-maker for the Dodgers during their playoff run, above all else, that will be the lasting image. Though, "Ifs" has been the biggest problem with talking about Tucker's run with the Dodgers.

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