Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects outfielder Kyle Tucker to improve with the Dodgers after his walk-off single Monday.

The Dodgers signed Tucker to a record-breaking $240 million contract over the offseason, but he is yet to hit his stride in LA so far. The slugger has three home runs and 15 RBIs this season—both stellar totals so early in the season—but has just a .684 OPS despite having played every game.

He proved his worth in front of the home fans Monday, though, as he hit a two-run single to center to complete a ninth-inning comeback for the hosts.

“The transition certainly is unpredictable,” Roberts said. “I think that he’s very consistent in how he approaches each day. … But I do think that a moment like this, even for a player that’s been around a long time, can kind of inspire more confidence in him.

“…The quality of contact has been a lot better. I think this is the floor of what he’s going to be doing this year, and I think the needle is pointing up.”

Tucker has begun piecing things together a month into his Dodgers tenure, as he has a hit in four of his last five games. His OPS this month has also improved compared to the few games he had in March, sitting at .712 in April.

Tucker’s improvement would be huge for the Dodgers, as they’ve already made their way into first in the NL West with the best record in MLB.

The outfielder had been one of the best hitters in baseball prior to his arrival in Los Angeles, and a return to form would make LA nearly unstoppable this season. He has made four consecutive All-Star Games, winning a Silver Slugger award two times in that stretch. He has hit 22 or more homers every year since 2022, and his end-of-season OPS hasn’t dropped below .800 since his 28-game cup of team in MLB in 2018.

The Dodgers only lead the NL West by half a game, and a return to form for Tucker could make all of the difference down the stretch.

Do you think Kyle Tucker can produce numbers with the Dodgers comparable to his previous years?