tucker

Benvenuti a The Times Lakers newsletter, where, after a month in Italy, we are so back.

The Lakers are largely in the same situation as when I left. They’re still safely in the playoff race with a 39-25 record, but flirting with the play-in. LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are still searching for their three-man chemistry. Deandre Ayton hasn’t dyed his hair again.

But the tl;dr version of February does have one major change for the Lakers.

Hot hand Luke

Lakers guard Luke Kennard reacts after making a three-pointer against the Golden State Warriors at Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 7.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

JJ Redick always knew how good of a shooter Luke Kennard was. This former Duke sharpshooter wouldn’t expect anything less from another Blue Devils star. But Kennard’s influence since joining the Lakers in a February trade has gone beyond his league-leading three-point percentage.

The Lakers are 5-1 in the past six games with Kennard shooting a blazing 56.7% from three-point range. He jump-starts the Lakers’ offense with his constant motion and elite floor spacing, making the transition from midseason acquisition to integral bench piece look effortless.

“It all comes down to, like, the point-five decision making,” Redick said. “… That’s where we try to focus a lot of the development [on] being able to recognize when there has been an advantage created, and then playing off that and not giving up the advantage. And we have some guys that have to grow in that area.

“Luke,” Redick added, “that’s what he does.”

The Lakers were shooting 34.9% from three before the trade, 21st in the league. Since acquiring Kennard, the Lakers are shooting 39.2% from three-point range, ranking second in the NBA during that stretch.

Kennard, shooting 50% from the three-point line, is on track to become just the sixth NBA player to shoot 50% or better from three over an entire season. There are some players in the NBA who couldn’t hit 50 out of 100 three-pointers in an empty gym, Redick said.

Redick has known Kennard for more than a decade. Not only was he comfortable with the coaching staff, Kennard also has history with former Memphis teammates Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart and being in L.A., playing with the Clippers from 2020 to 2023. Kennard said he “lit up inside,” when he heard he would be heading to the Lakers, who sent Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to Atlanta in the deal.

The organization is “the biggest stage you can play on in basketball,” Kennard said. And he gets to share it with generational talents.

Playing with Doncic and James has created some of the most open three-point shots Kennard has had in his career, he said. When he gets one wide-open three early, that only helps his rhythm. Then teams start to help too much on his shooting and that opens the paint. It’s the type of chain reaction Kennard watched with envy from the opposite sideline when Doncic, then with Dallas, was slicing up the Clippers in the playoffs.

“It’s definitely something you think about like, ‘Man, I wish that was me there getting those open looks,’” Kennard said. “But now it’s a reality.”

Kennard marvels at his new reality sometimes. When Doncic was in his peak, “Luka Magic” form Friday, banking line-drive step-back threes off the backboard in the Lakers’ rout over the Indiana Pacers, Kennard said he caught himself just gawking at his teammate a few times.

But Doncic, who scored 44 points in the win, was quick to credit the team’s bench contributions. Kennard had 15 points on three-of-five three-point shooting, and Doncic said he has encouraged Kennard to shoot more.

A smile broke across Kennard’s face when he was told of the praise.

“Especially coming from a guy like that,” Kennard said, “one of the best scorers ever to play the game, it just builds confidence in you as a player to play off of him.”

Catching Kareem

Lakers star LeBron James shoots over Denver’s Zeke Nnaji to set the all-time NBA record for most successful field goals on Thursday.

(Chris Swann / Clarkson Creative / Getty Images)

He used it to break the NBA’s most iconic record. It seemed fitting that James used a midrange fadeaway shot to claim another record from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Already the leader in NBA seasons played, minutes played and points scored, James added another record to his resume last week by passing Abdul-Jabbar for most made field goals in NBA history. His record-breaking 15,838th made shot came against Denver on Thursday, and, with a 180-degree pirouette added, looked similar to the shot he used to claim the scoring record from Abdul-Jabbar in 2023.

“At the end of the day, just to be able to link my name to being mentioned with some of the greatest to ever play this game has always been humbling and a pretty cool thing,” James said after the Lakers lost. “I grew up watching, reading [about], idolizing a lot of the greats and if I ever was able to be part of the NBA, I wanted to put myself in position that I can be named with some of the greats by doing something right.”

The record is a true testament to James’ staying power. He established the regular-season scoring record in the same 20 seasons as Abdul-Jabbar played, but the field-goal record would have been well out of reach had James not continued into his historic 23rd season. When comparing their NBA careers, Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 10.15 made field goals per game across his career to James’ 9.86, made more shots than James in 16 of 20 seasons. Abdul-Jabbar had two 1,000 field goal seasons while James’ highest total was 875 in his third year. Michael Jordan, in 1989-90, was the last NBA player with more than 1,000 made field goals in a season (1,034).

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

James’ longevity and productivity at the twilight of his career is so unmatched that even the idea that the James era could end soon barely even registers for some competitors.

“I think he can play forever,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said when asked if he thinks about how any game could be the last he coaches against James. “That’s just my personal opinion. I know he won’t, but the shape that he is in and how he takes care of his body is just amazing.”

James, who is ineligible for postseason awards for the first time in his career because he missed more than 17 games, is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a right hip contusion and left foot arthritis. He has missed the last two games with a left elbow contusion he sustained in the final minutes against Denver. He did not practice Monday.

The next personal milestone for James may be career games played, where he trails Robert Parish’s 1,611 by five.

On tap

Records and stats current before Monday’s games.

Tuesday vs. Timberwolves (40-24), 8 p.m.

With two October wins that feel like a lifetime ago, the Lakers already own the head-to-head season tiebreaker against the Timberwolves, meaning that a win Tuesday could vault the Lakers to third place in the West.

Thursday vs. Bulls (26-38), 7:30 p.m.

This is the only should-win game of the week against a team well outside of the playoff race. The Bulls added Collin Sexton at the trade deadline, but the former Charlotte guard left Sunday’s game against the Sacramento Kings with a leg injury.

Saturday vs. Nuggets (39-26), 5:30 p.m.

This game will decide the season series tiebreaker between the Lakers and Nuggets, who split their first two games.

Monday at Rockets (39-24), 6:30 p.m. PDT

The Lakers and Rockets have consecutive games in Houston on Monday and Wednesday. The Rockets are not the same team that dominated the Lakers on Christmas Day, though. Steven Adams has been out since Jan. 20 with a season-ending ankle injury, and a team that was on pace to be the best rebounding squad in a generation is seventh over the last 15 games with a 51.5% rebounding rate.

Favorite thing I ate this week

Gnocchi with spider crab and tomato sauce and black spaghetti with tuna tartare in Venice, Italy.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

I’ve been back from Italy for a week, but I didn’t share any meals from my post-Olympic vacation. We definitely saved the best for last in Italy.

Possibly my favorite of my entire month was in Venice at Oniga, a cozy restaurant we found away from the otherwise crowded narrow streets. Staying true to Venetian seafood tradition, we began with an appetizer of mussels and clams in a tomato sauce that had me wiping the bowl with our fresh baked bread. Our mains (pictured) were fresh gnocchi with local spider crab and tomato sauce and black spaghetti with tuna tartare and garlic oil. For dessert, we had salted caramel panna cotta and pistachio tiramisu. Squisito!

In case you missed it

Lakers prove against Knicks they can achieve gritty defensive wins

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves carry LeBron-less Lakers to win over Knicks

Luka Doncic joins elite Lakers company with 44-point effort in win over Pacers

Luka Doncic is one technical foul away from an automatic suspension

LeBron James breaks another Kareem Abdul-Jabbar record, but hurts his elbow in loss

Swanson: The Lakers are the wrong kind of interesting amid relentless fan scrutiny

Lakers hope comeback win over Pelicans gives the team a timely boost

All five starters score in double figures as Lakers defeat the Pelicans

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Welcome to the Lakers newsletter, where we dive into the noise surrounding them and how they are trying to ignore it and where we get to see the softer side of LeBron James when it comes to his daughter, Zhuri.

The noise has become deafening amid an uneven stretch of play as the Lakers head toward the final drive of the NBA season.

The noise has only grown as the Lakers search for their consistency and cohesion so late in a season.

Injuries have played a part in their up-and-down play, but so has their subpar play at times.

They are 3-3 since the All-Star break, having lost three consecutive games at one point during this period.

They were ranked 17th in the league in defensive rating (114.2) during this stretch, which is in line with their defensive rating for the season that’s near the bottom at 22 (116.3).

Perhaps the best way to describe these Lakers was provided by Rui Hachimura.

“I think when we play good, like really good, we [are] looking like a championship team, you know,” Hachimura said. “But when we [are] not, like we have a lot of time that we [are] not, then we look like we’re just literally [an] out-of-a-playoff team…At the time we have to kind of have to focus. It’s a long season, you know, it’s just a long season.

“We have a lot of injured guys, in and out, so we have a different rotation, different kind of starting lineup, whatever. But I think we have to focus on that part. We have to play together, playing hard, and those are gonna be really good for us. Staying consistent and we can look like a championship team all the time.”

It’s just that when the Lakers lose games, they lose big, by wide margins, and that has made the noise grow.

In the last few days, coach JJ Redick has used the phrase, “the world is falling for us 19 times,” when they have lost.

Redick is referring to how those 19 losses have been by double digits, the latest a 22-point spanking by the Boston Celtics last week that started the Lakers on a three-game skid. They have lost 24 games on the season.

“We haven’t had the consistent level of effort and execution,” Redick said. “That’s kind of been the thing all season [is] to really establish that identity. But I’m confident we will.”

The Lakers have 22 games left to find it.

They are sixth in the Western Conference and are looking to move up.

“Obviously we didn’t start good [out of the All-Star break], but nothing is over,” Luka Doncic said. “We just got to keep bringing the mindset of trying to win every game.”

Girl’s Dad

LeBron James with his daughter, Zhuri, eight years ago.

(Steven Vlasic / Getty Images)

He was simply a girl’s dad spending time with his daughter at his place of work, all part of a family outing in the San Francisco area.

When LeBron James finished his pregame routine before the Lakers played the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at Chase Center, his 11-year-old daughter, Zhuri, joined him on the court.

She stood at the free-throw line and tossed up an overhead shot that banked in for a basket. The crowd watching applauded, drawing a smile from dad and daughter.

Zhuri capped her time with dad by throwing a lob pass that James dunked while hanging on the rim. The two did their own handshake.

After the game, James beamed talking about spending time with Zhuri. He talked about taking her to Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge and having dinner Friday night.

“I miss a lot of moments spending time with my kids because of my career. Over the course of my career, any time I got moments with them either individually, two of them, three of them all together, whatever the case may be, it’s always special for me,” James said.

“So, to have my daughter want to come on the road and and be with me [is special]. And spent a lot of time yesterday. We went to Alcatraz. She wanted to go to Alcatraz. We saw Alcatraz, saw the Golden Gate Bridge, we went to dinner last night. So, I spent a lot of time. It was pretty cool. It was awesome.”

Zhuri plays volleyball, but she displayed some deft handles while dribbling the basketball.

But make no mistake, James said, she is a volleyball player through and through. Besides, James said, wife Savannah already has a husband who plays for the Lakers, son, Bronny, who plays for the Lakers and son, Bryce, redshirting on Arizona’s basketball team.

“She’s a volleyball player. Don’t get my wife mad. My wife is done with this basketball….” James said, laughing. “She’s done with it. She’s a volleyball player. But she’s been around the game for a while, so she does got good handles. She got a good form, too. But my wife ain’t playing that. Not another one. She said that’s it. That’s it.”

After they were done during their pregame activities, James and Zhuri walked off the court holding hands.

The girl’s dad beamed.

“It’s special. It’s special. It’s definitely softened me up over the last 11 years,” James said. “I had two boys to begin with, but getting a little girl 11 years ago, man, it’s definitely softened me up. So, it’s special to have her. You know, it’s a different type of love.

“If anybody got girls and boys, it’s a different type of love that you [share]. It’s tough love when it comes to my boys. I yell at them and stuff, whatever. They take it. They know how to approach it. It’s different. It’s a little softness with my daughter. So, it’s pretty cool.”

Besides All-Star games, James said it was the first time Zhuri had gone on a trip with him.

The Lakers beat the Warriors too.

“She’s a good luck charm,” James said.

Austin Reaves was sitting next to James in the locker room listening to James.

“She’s going to Denver,” Reaves said.

The Lakers play at Denver Thursday night.

“Uh don’t say that too loud, because she’ll definitely be like, ‘Dad, can I go to Denver?’” James said, smiling. “She already said, ‘When is the next road trip?’”

Redick has two boys, Knox, 11, and Kai, 9, and he can appreciate having that family time, especially when the Lakers spend so much time traveling and having games that take them away.

So, seeing Zhuri and James together was a moment Redick enjoyed.

“Yeah, Zhuri, she rode on the plane back just last night,” Redick said after the game Saturday night. “That was fun for her…[Lakers assistant coach] Scotty [Brooks] has talked a lot about this with me and a number of coaches have. It’s one of the greatest gifts we get. We get to expose our kids to this beautiful sport and this beautiful league.”

On Tap

Tuesday vs. Pelicans (19-43), 7:30 p.m.

Zion Williamson, who had played in his NBA-best 35 straight games, missed the Clippers game Sunday because of a right ankle injury and is listed as day to day.

Thursday at Denver (37-24), 7 p.m.

The Nuggets and Lakers are neck-and-neck for the fifth and sixth spots, respectively, in the West, with Denver at No. 5. All-Star center Nikola Jokic leads the NBA in triple-doubles with 24, averaging 28.8 points (sixth in the league), 12.6 rebounds (first) and 10.5 assists (first).

Friday vs. Indiana (15-46), 7:30 p.m.

The Pacers have the worst record in the Eastern Conference and are in the midst of a six-game losing streak.

Sunday vs. New York (39-22), 12:30 p.m.

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson is tied for ninth in the league in scoring (26.7). The Knicks are a very good defensive team, holding teams to 111.1 points per game, the fifth-best mark in the league.

In case you missed it

Luka Doncic and LeBron James power Lakers to another rout against last-place Kings

Luka Doncic and Lakers dominate Curry-less Warriors to halt losing streak

Lakers hire former Virginia coach Tony Bennett as a draft advisor

New Lakers executive Lon Rosen discusses increased ticket prices, Magic Johnson

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

Welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where we dive into how to get the best out of big man Deandre Ayton and hear iconic Lakers coach Pat Riley praise current Lakers coach JJ Redick and his team.

The conundrum that is Deandre Ayton is now living with the Lakers.

They see the talent and skills. But they still are searching for the right ways to maximize what Ayton can offer.

They see the passion and love for the game. They want to get that out of Ayton on a consistent basis.

They see his sensitivity. They know that to bring out the best in Ayton takes patience and constant encouragement.

When the Lakers watched film of their loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Redick used lines like “there’s positive trends” with Ayton and lines like “he could be better” in certain instances.

That is the paradox of Ayton.

As the Lakers enter the stretch run of the season with 26 games remaining, they need Ayton to play at a higher level more frequently if they are to be successful.

Against the Celtics, Ayton had just four points on two-for-six shooting. He had seven rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot.

“There’s positive trends,” Redick said after practice Monday. “We did watch some film today. There was some real positive trends defensively. I think his spirit and engagement and stuff has been really good. I think for all the guys, if he has a smaller player on him, that’s an advantage for us. Let’s just get him the ball. I think it’s just thematically across the team, we have to pass it to each other more and trust each other more. …

“There was a clip last night or a play last night, Jaylen Brown goes to the floor. We’ve got a five-on-four and he [Ayton] goes at about 20% speed where it’s clearly a man-down situation. So in terms of him running and putting pressure on the rim and offensive rebounding, particularly against switches and smaller players, he could be better there.”

However, Redick, his staff and Ayton’s teammates want to be clear that they support him at all times.

Earlier this season, Redick gave his 7-foot center a T-shirt featuring Ayton’s face combined with the likeness of a lion.

“We want him to be the lion,” Redick said then.

“I have his back,” Redick said Monday. “These guys, we try to make them understand my job is to help the Lakers try to win basketball games. And so nothing is ever personal. If he doesn’t close a game, it’s not personal. It’s because I think there’s a better option. And that’s not just true for him personally. There’s essentially three guys on our team that if they’re on the lineup, they’re going to close games and everybody else [will rotate]. We talked about that today.”

Ayton is producing the lowest averages of his NBA career in points (13.0), rebounds (8.4) and minutes (28.1). His field-goal attempts (8.9) and makes (5.9) are lows too, but he’s shooting a career-high 66.6%.

“He’s done OK,” said Marcus Smart, who sits next to Ayton in the ’ locker room. “You know, he definitely could be better; we all could. But the thing I love about it is he understands it and he’s working. We all are trying to figure it out; this is new to everybody. He’s doing his best, but he understands it’s another notch that we need him to go to, and we’re going to try to get him there and help with that. But he knows he’s got to do his part as well.”

Ayton plays on a team with three dominant ballhandlers in Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, and it is their job to feed the 7-footer. Getting Ayton activated has been a positive for the Lakers. When he doesn’t get the touches, Ayton hasn’t been as productive.

Still, NBA scouts say Ayton can do a little more himself. He can run harder on the fast break, seal his man down low and play with force, roll to the basket with a purpose, use his athleticism to his advantage and play defense and rebound at a higher level.

Ayton came into the NBA with high expectations, the first overall pick in the 2018 draft, even going ahead of Doncic. Over five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, Ayton was a double-double machine, averaging 16.7 points and 10.4 rebounds. He shot the ball more, averaging 12.5 field goal attempts per game. He averaged 12.8 in two seasons in Portland.

With the Lakers, he’s had to adjust his game.

“I’m sure it’s a big adjustment,” Smart said. “It was an adjustment for me when I came in … The type of player I was in college and coming in and the way I played both offensively and defensively, [now I’m] taking a more defensive approach more than offensive. So it definitely can be frustrating and it’s definitely a challenge because you still value and look at the opportunity that you have to be that person. But unfortunately, sometimes the circumstances don’t call for it. That’s the hard part, understanding that early. Like I said, we all could do better at that because we all want to win. Deandre is doing the best he can, and we appreciate that. We love it too because he also uses that to motivate himself, which can be a good thing.”

Riley praises Redick, Lakers

A statue of former Lakers coach Pat Riley is unveiled outside Crypto.com Arena.

(Greg Beacham / Associated Press)

After Pat Riley had his statue unveiled Sunday on Star Plaza outside of Crypto.com Arena, he took time to praise Redick.

Riley led the Lakers to four NBA championships in the ‘80s, his coaching style a big part of the Showtime era. He likes what he sees out of Redick and the Lakers.

“I love JJ. I really do,” Riley said. “I competed against him. My teams competed against him, you know, in various teams that he played with. He’s a fiery guy. He could shoot the hell out of the ball. He was tough as nails, you know. I don’t know. Sometimes I look back and I remember myself at that time and I looked at JJ and I think they picked the right person [for the Lakers job]. There’s just a quality about him, I think, that goes above and beyond.

“And they have a hell of a team for him right here, right now with Doncic and Reaves and obviously with LeBron. And so I think Rob [Pelinka, president of basketball operations] will continue with the new ownership to build that team and to complement those players. But they have a great opportunity and I think JJ will be a great coach for it.”

On tap

Tuesday vs. Orlando (30-26), 7:30 p.m.

The Magic are a deep and versatile team, with six players who score in double figures. Paolo Banchero leads them in scoring (21.5) and rebounds (8.4) and is second in assists (5.0). He’s shooting 45% from the field. Desmond Bane is one of three Orlando players averaging more than 20 points at 20.1, making 48.3% of his shots and 38.8% of his threes. He just dropped 36 in a win over the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back.

Thursday at Phoenix (33-25), 7 p.m. PST

Injuries are starting to take a toll on the Suns. Dillon Brooks has a broken left hand and reportedly is out four to six weeks. This comes on the heels of All-Star Devin Booker missing at least one week because of a right hip strain and fellow guards Grayson Allen (ankle/knee) and Jordan Goodwin (calf) also dealing with injuries.

Saturday at Golden State (30-27), 5:30 p.m.

The Warriors don’t have All-Star guard Stephen Curry (knee) and forward Jimmy Butler (torn ACL), leaving them without a lot of offensive firepower. The Warriors have been leaning on guard Brandin Podziemski to keep them afloat. He is averaging 12.1 points per game.

Sunday vs. Sacramento (12-46), 6:30 p.m.

The Kings have the worst record in the NBA. They have three players with season-ending surgeries — De’Andre Hunter (eye), Domantas Sabonis (knee) and Zach LaVine (hand).

Status report

Jaxson Hayes: right ankle injury

Redick said Hayes, who left Sunday’s game, got an MRI on Monday that showed his ankle had “a little bruise.” Hayes, the backup center, is day to day, Redick said. The Lakers listed Hayes as doubtful for Tuesday night’s game against the Magic at Crypto.com Arena.

“We’ll see how he feels tomorrow morning,” Redick said..

Favorite thing I ate this week

Risotto col codeghin e la peara from Tre Risotti Trattoria.

(Thuc Nhi Nguyen / Los Angeles Times)

Ciao! It’s Thuc Nhi checking in a final time from the Olympics. My final dinner of the Games had to honor northern Italy, so instead of just pizza or pasta, I went searching specifically for risotto. In Verona, before the closing ceremony, I asked the server at Tre Risotti Trattoria what the most popular risotto was and she suggested the risotto col codeghin e la peara (risotto with sausage and pepper sauce). She didn’t miss. The salty, creamy bite with the crunchy crouton around the plate was the ideal way to end my third Olympics Games. Arrivederci!

In case you missed it

With Pat Riley watching, Lakers routed by Celtics in rivalry game

Plaschke: During statue unveiling, Pat Riley reminds the disjointed Lakers of keys to winning

Statue outside Lakers’ arena is another first for Pat Riley, the consummate coach

Luka Doncic and Lakers hold off Clippers after Kawhi Leonard exits late

Lon Rosen to take over business operations for the Lakers

Until next time…

As always, pass along your thoughts to me at thucnhi.nguyen@latimes.com, and please consider subscribing if you like our work!

PHOENIX — There are expectations surrounding new Dodgers right fielder Kyle Tucker — not surprising for someone with a four-year, $240-million contract.

But first things first.

“Last year I got one hit in spring [training], so hopefully I get more than that,” Tucker said, sharing a laugh with reporters after grounding out and walking in two plate appearances in his Cactus League debut on Sunday. “So, that’s the goal. But I mean, [I’m] just feeling comfortable.”

In a clubhouse full of superstar players, the feeling seems mutual with his teammates.

“I’m glad he’s with us,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith said, adding: “Yeah, There might be other superstars on this team, but it’s not really anyone’s focus here. It’s all about getting in every day, working hard, helping us win a ballgame that day and working toward the ultimate goal of winning the World Series.”

It was a tale of two seasons for the 29-year-old Tucker in 2025.

Through the first three months of the year, Tucker had the Chicago Cubs’ offense humming, powering the club to a 53-35 start. Entering July, Tucker was batting .291 with a .395 on-base percentage, .931 OPS, 17 home runs, 52 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Tucker found himself in the middle of the National League MVP discussion as the Cubs sat in first place in the NL Central.

But from July 1 through the end of the season, he batted just .225, posting a .690 OPS, five home runs and 21 RBI, a far cry from his first half that earned him a start in right field in the All-Star Game.

It was later revealed that Tucker sustained a hairline fracture in June, which he played through. In September, he suffered a calf strain, landing him on the injured list.

He finished the season with a .266 batting average and 22 home runs, career lows for him. That did not deter the Dodgers, and it was an easy sell for Tucker as well.

“Every organization is unique in its own sense,” Tucker said. “But this organization obviously the last couple of years has done pretty well, so I think that’s a huge part of the front office and them doing their part and trying to get a great group together. Just great people and great athletes, and then trying to just put the best product out on the field for the city of Los Angeles and the fans. I think they’ve done a pretty good job of that so far. Hopefully, we can keep winning for them.”

Despite what happened last season with Tucker, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is confident in the newly-signed star.

“For me and the people that I talked to and how he goes about it, there’s nothing negative for me,” Roberts said last week. “I love guys that just come to work and love playing and competing. So, he just wants to win. He’s not a self-promoter; he’s not going to give [the media] a bunch of great soundbites. He wants to play to win, and I love guys like that. So, I’m excited to have him and get to know him even more.”

Tucker missed just under three weeks in the season’s final month. He would not return to the outfield in 2025, manning the designated-hitter spot for the Cubs, whose season ended at the hands of the Brewers in five games in the NL Division Series. Tucker says he felt good all offseason and is feeling even better in the early days of camp with his new team.

“It was a pretty healthy [offseason],” Tucker said. “At the beginning, I might have still been kind of nursing the calf a little bit. But it was kind of feeling pretty good right at the end. I think if we had moved onto the next series, I probably would have gone to the outfield, so I wish I could have gotten out there for that. Overall, in the offseason, I felt pretty healthy, and [feel pretty healthy] going into camp so far.”

Alex Vesia returns to the mound

Dodgers left-hander Alex Vesia made his Cactus League debut in Monday’s 3-0 win over the Seattle Mariners — the first time he’s pitched in a game of any kind since his newborn daughter died last fall.

Entering Monday’s game in the fifth inning to a loud ovation, Vesia struck out one and retired the side in order. He then received a warm greeting by his teammates in the dugout.

“Being around the guys, it’s really been comforting,” Vesia said. “These guys are my brothers, I truly love all of them. It’s meant a lot.”

Dodgers set starting pitchers for the week

Before Monday’s game, Roberts revealed starting pitchers for this week. Gavin Stone will take the mound Tuesday, Roki Sasaki will start Wednesday before Tyler Glasnow makes his first start of the Cactus League Thursday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start for the second time Friday, in what will likely be his final start before joining Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic.

Over the last two offseasons, the Dodgers spent a combined $141 million on relief pitchers Edwin Díaz and Tanner Scott, both of whom are expected to make their first spring training appearances later this week.

“I think Tanner and Edwin are going either Wednesday or Thursday in the Cactus League games,” Roberts said. “Those guys, we’ll start to see them this week.”