WASHINGTON -- With the Dodgers' home run party in full swing, Kyle Tucker joined in on the fun.
Tucker went deep for the first time as a Dodger in L.A.'s 13-6 win on Friday afternoon, slugging a solo shot off Nationals left-hander Ken Waldichuk to extend Los Angeles' lead to 12-4 in the seventh inning. It was the Dodgers' fifth home run of the contest: Shohei Ohtani got the party started with his first of the season, followed by long balls from Mookie Betts, Andy Pages and Freddie Freeman.
"It was nice," Tucker said. "First actual ball I've hit in the air well. Can't complain when you hit a homer."
Earlier in the game, Tucker notched a pair of singles, securing his first multihit game as a member of the Dodgers. The consensus top free agent of this past offseason finally had the type of game that showed why L.A. signed him to a massive four-year, $240 million deal to bolster its three-peat bid.
While Tucker certainly has the tools to be an impact bat in a star-studded top of the order that also features Ohtani, Betts and Freeman, the Dodgers have pointed to his ability to get on base as one of the most valuable assets he brings to the lineup. Tucker entered Friday slashing .174/.240/.217 with nine strikeouts against two walks through six games.
"It’s never come close to that high," manager Dave Roberts said of Tucker's strikeout rate before the contest. "I don’t know the reason for that. Hopefully getting on the road, getting that first series under his belt, first homestand, will change things."
Indeed, Tucker looked much more like his usual self on Friday. He singled and scored on Betts' homer in the third inning, drove in a run on a base hit in the fifth and unloaded on a first-pitch sweeper from Waldichuk that landed over the middle of the plate in the seventh. He did not strike out in six at-bats.
While there could be a sense of responsibility that accompanies playing in his first games since signing a lucrative deal with a new team, Tucker does not believe he was pressing at the plate prior to Friday. The way he sees it, he's still just getting comfortable in the batter's box in the early days of a long season.
"I feel like I've been kind of fouling off pitches over the plate more than I normally do and striking out more than I normally do," Tucker said. "Probably because I fouled off some pitches and [got] into worse counts, just downhill from there. Doesn't really work out for me. So not trying to foul those balls off and put them forward. That worked out well today, just trying to swing at good pitches and barrel them up."
The entire top of the order had been scuffling entering Friday, with Ohtani, Tucker, Betts and Freeman combining to slash .172/.287/.276 through six games. The Dodgers' offensive production was lacking as a result. But they've kept the season in perspective and know that a slow start is just that: a start.
"Hopefully, this is just the start of a really good offensive year for us," Tucker said. "It's not always going to be hitting every single game or the entire season, but you can grind out the at-bats, the walks, drive runs in, get on base and try to win the game. You'll be in a good spot."