WEBVTT - Kyle Tucker (7-28-26) 

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<v Speaker 1>And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.

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<v Speaker 2>The Dodgers are back home after a great road trip,

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<v Speaker 2>winning every single series. The bus rides must have been

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<v Speaker 2>electric with Miguel Rojas and Kyle Tucker. Kyle Tucker joins

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<v Speaker 2>us in the shadow a World Series hero Miguel Rojas.

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<v Speaker 2>How you doing? Do you feel comfortable enough to continue

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<v Speaker 2>this interview with Rojas right here?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? I feel great. He makes it even more comfortable,

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<v Speaker 1>So let's.

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<v Speaker 2>Do it like that. What's it been like for you

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<v Speaker 2>so far this season? We're in August now, there's only

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<v Speaker 2>sixty games left in the season, so the feeling out

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<v Speaker 2>part of you being part of this team is over

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<v Speaker 2>with Tucker.

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<v Speaker 1>I hope, so after what almost four months or whatever?

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<v Speaker 1>But no, it's been great. I mean everyone here is awesome.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean I love showing ups the field every day

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<v Speaker 1>and being around these guys and everyone in the clubhouse.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's been a lot of fun.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody always wants to know what's it like? What's so

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<v Speaker 2>special about the Dodgers? Have you found out in your

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<v Speaker 2>first season?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, everyone's super supportive of each other, whether it's

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<v Speaker 1>stuff outside of baseball, or like off the field or everything.

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<v Speaker 1>On the field, everyone's very like supportive of each other

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<v Speaker 1>and everyone's just trying to, you know, achieve the same

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<v Speaker 1>goal at the end of the year and help each

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<v Speaker 1>other out with that. So that's a that's a big

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<v Speaker 1>part of why this seems so good and why everyone's

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<v Speaker 1>so close. And then I mean they do it a

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<v Speaker 1>lot of the stuff, like for the families as well,

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<v Speaker 1>whether it's starting the game for the wives and kids

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<v Speaker 1>that comes to the games, or helping out with like

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<v Speaker 1>travel stuff and everything, and it makes a lot easier

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<v Speaker 1>for us not to have to worry about that. So

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<v Speaker 1>they do a great job in all aspects.

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<v Speaker 2>I was joking about Miguel Rojas, but his bus ride

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<v Speaker 2>microphone speeches or whatever he says or legendary. We don't

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<v Speaker 2>know exactly what he says, but how often is he

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<v Speaker 2>on the mic on the bus.

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<v Speaker 1>He's on the mic just about every time, and it

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<v Speaker 1>just depends on like the road trip or what's going

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<v Speaker 1>and whatnot, and we just come up with different topics

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<v Speaker 1>and playing music and everything. So yeah, he's he's pretty

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<v Speaker 1>much on the mic every time, but he does a

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<v Speaker 1>good job at it. It's it's a lot of fun.

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<v Speaker 2>What was this last road trip? Like, I'm not sure

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<v Speaker 2>if you had your wife and newborn with you, but

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<v Speaker 2>it seems like these extended road trips really brings teams together.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, you know, some of the guys in

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<v Speaker 1>the like the coaching staff was already in Philly for

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<v Speaker 1>the All Star Game, so I mean everyone else flew

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<v Speaker 1>out separately than them.

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<v Speaker 2>And I was with you, Tucker, I know, so.

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<v Speaker 1>We all met them all in New York and then

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<v Speaker 1>bust down to Philly and then you know, the team

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<v Speaker 1>that was here last year went to the White House,

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<v Speaker 1>and then everyone else went back to New York. So

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<v Speaker 1>it was a lot more family time than team time

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<v Speaker 1>on the like travel like flight or playing or anything.

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<v Speaker 1>But that only happened so often. So most of the

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<v Speaker 1>time it's just the guys on the boss and playing

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<v Speaker 1>and everything. So but it's fun to include everyone.

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<v Speaker 2>I thought this last road trip was amazing for you guys.

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<v Speaker 2>Nine games, ten days, Like you said, some guys had

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<v Speaker 2>a divert to Washington, DC for a handful of hours,

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<v Speaker 2>and you won every single series, doubleheader, our twenty rain

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<v Speaker 2>delay in Philly. How did you, guys, How did you

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<v Speaker 2>guys maintain and be able to still raise your level

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<v Speaker 2>of game.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it was tough. I mean, especially for the guys

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<v Speaker 1>that were you know, didn't have an ulcer break at all,

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<v Speaker 1>and they were on the road from the get go,

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<v Speaker 1>so it was a long road trip in that and

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, we got a job to do regardless of

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<v Speaker 1>where we're at, or where we're at in the season,

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<v Speaker 1>where we're at in the country playing or anything. So

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<v Speaker 1>we try to come out and just win the games

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<v Speaker 1>regardless of the situation. But yeah, a lot of the

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<v Speaker 1>guys had a long road trip, and you know, everyone

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<v Speaker 1>I think is very happy to be back back on

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<v Speaker 1>the West Coast and in LA playing at home now.

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<v Speaker 2>Everybody was so concerned about a so called letdown in

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<v Speaker 2>the second half. Are you guys aware of the lead

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<v Speaker 2>you have? And was that a statement that there won't

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<v Speaker 2>be a letdown?

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, I don't even know what the standings are

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<v Speaker 1>right now. I mean, we we just focus on what

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<v Speaker 1>we can control in the game at hand. For us,

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, we try and come out and win every

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<v Speaker 1>game regardless, So I don't know what the standings or

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<v Speaker 1>anything are. I know we're in a good spot as

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<v Speaker 1>a team, and you know as a clubhouse overall. So

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<v Speaker 1>we're just gonna try and you know, focus on tonight's

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<v Speaker 1>game and try and win that and move on to

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<v Speaker 1>the next.

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<v Speaker 2>Kyle Tucker is our guest to head a first pitch

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<v Speaker 2>between the Dodgers and Mariners. A rare second half radio

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<v Speaker 2>interview for Kyle Tucker Homer's and back to back games

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<v Speaker 2>in New York, and all of a sudden, TV wants

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<v Speaker 2>a piece of Tucker. He stopped, gave me a courtesy

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<v Speaker 2>fist bump or handshake, and moved on to television. That's

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<v Speaker 2>how I demand you are these days, Tucker.

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<v Speaker 1>I mean, yeah, obviously I'd like to do a lot

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<v Speaker 1>more interviews because it means I'm doing well. So I mean,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess it's a good thing.

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<v Speaker 2>Where is the feel? I mean, there goes one of

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<v Speaker 2>your hitting coach is. You could say whatever you want,

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<v Speaker 2>but where is the feel right now? On the season.

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<v Speaker 1>I feel good. I mean, just trying to put together

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<v Speaker 1>competitive bats and just try and keep the line movement

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<v Speaker 1>for everyone else. So just try and continue that. I

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<v Speaker 1>felt like I had some really good at bats, especially

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<v Speaker 1>at the end of the Phillies series and then going

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<v Speaker 1>into the Mets series. So just try and carry that on.

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<v Speaker 2>Are you looking at where the bat is and all

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<v Speaker 2>that or is it more about your feet staying connected

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<v Speaker 2>to the ground. See, you didn't know I knew all

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<v Speaker 2>these things about hitting.

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<v Speaker 1>I got I don't know. I'd kind of analyze everything

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<v Speaker 1>this year. So just trying to analyze everything and then

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<v Speaker 1>simplified as much as possible and just go out their heads.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's some work in progress, but hopefully it's it's

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<v Speaker 1>been a lot better recently.

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<v Speaker 2>You want some David Vass say, hitting advice?

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<v Speaker 1>Sure, what do you got?

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<v Speaker 2>Seaball hit ball?

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah? Perfect? I haven't thought of that one yet. Thank you.

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<v Speaker 2>All Right, before I let Kyle Tucker go. He and

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<v Speaker 2>his wife have formed the Kyle Tucker Foundation. They've got

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<v Speaker 2>a great Instagram page and they have a great fundraiser

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<v Speaker 2>coming up on August twentieth to help end of life

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<v Speaker 2>families and also the caregivers. That's coming up on August twentieth.

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<v Speaker 2>Tickets are available in their link of their bio on

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<v Speaker 2>the Kyle Tucker Foundation. IG. Why is that such a

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<v Speaker 2>special cause to you and your wife?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, so my grandfather passed away a few years ago

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<v Speaker 1>and he went through hospital scare, So that's kind of

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<v Speaker 1>a where it all started, and then we came up

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<v Speaker 1>with the foundation like a few months later going into

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<v Speaker 1>the next following year, So we've kind of done some

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<v Speaker 1>stuff throughout and I don't think, you know, the palliative

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<v Speaker 1>care and hospitale scare facilities necessarily get the recognition for

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<v Speaker 1>the work that they do and everything. So we try

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<v Speaker 1>and help out with all the work that they do

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<v Speaker 1>over there because it is a tough time having to

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<v Speaker 1>go through that, and you never know if you're gonna

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<v Speaker 1>have to go through her family member, loved one, so

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<v Speaker 1>it's tough. So we just try and help out and

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<v Speaker 1>recognize some of the workers and the stuff that they

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<v Speaker 1>do and everyone. So and then that this will be

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<v Speaker 1>like our first event out here in LA so that

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<v Speaker 1>that's exciting for us and just to try and you know,

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<v Speaker 1>build what we're trying to do in the community with

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<v Speaker 1>everyone and just try and see where things take us.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of us can relate to that, And I

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<v Speaker 2>always feel like the caregivers they're saints in their own rights,

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<v Speaker 2>so much patience, so much care for strangers, and I

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<v Speaker 2>feel like them nurses are they're always the forgotten people.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean they did great, great work. I mean

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<v Speaker 1>it's it's a tough job having to go into work

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<v Speaker 1>for them every single day and put a smile on

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<v Speaker 1>their face and everything, even though it might be a

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<v Speaker 1>tough situation for the patient. So we're just trying to

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<v Speaker 1>show her some recognition. For them, they're gonna come out

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<v Speaker 1>and think about bibblehead Night, yeah, later this week and

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<v Speaker 1>kind of enjoy it just a day at the ballpark,

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<v Speaker 1>maybe throw out a first pitch and stuff, and just

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<v Speaker 1>kind of enjoy their time away from what they have

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<v Speaker 1>to do. So yeah, it should be fun.

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<v Speaker 2>I love it. Hey, speaking of your bibblehead Night, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>available if you need me to throw out the first

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<v Speaker 2>pitch perfect.

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<v Speaker 1>Might might have to get out there. See what that

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<v Speaker 1>arm's got.

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<v Speaker 2>Okay, you ask KK what that arm's got. I still

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<v Speaker 2>got my fastball, Tucker, Awesome, let's see it all right.

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<v Speaker 2>Thanks a lot for the time. Always great to catch

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<v Speaker 2>up with you, and always great to share this side

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<v Speaker 2>of you, because you're more than a baseball player. You're

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<v Speaker 2>more than your batting average, You're more than your home runs.

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<v Speaker 2>You're a person. You're a great guy, and you're vast

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<v Speaker 2>a endorsed thank

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<v Speaker 1>You, appreciate it.