AL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: ASTROS VS RED SOX

October 14, 2021

Kyle Tucker

Minute Maid Park

Houston Astros

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Kyle, thanks for your time. How would you describe the reasons why you think your offense has taken that next step during the course of the season?

KYLE TUCKER: I think a lot of it has to do with our coaching staff and the guys in the clubhouse. You know, Snit, I work with him every single day. And I had him back in High A, so I have known him for a little while being in this organization. He has seen my swing for a couple of years now. He kind of knows what I'm doing right and what I'm doing well, and what I start to do when I'm not doing well, just to try to correct it.

I think working with him has definitely helped, and he does a great job with everyone, but I love working with him. He is a great guy, and he really knows what he is talking about, and then, you know, guys in our clubhouse, we have so many great hitters that if someone is struggling at any point they try to help them out. You know, if I'm struggling at the plate or anyone else, they try and help them out just to help them out.

I mean, if one guy is struggling, they tell them -- honestly, like, I know Carlos and Maldi, they go over their swings a lot. They were just doing it now. Carlos watches everyone's swing just to -- if Maldi is struggling, he tries to help him out and help him improve because it helps out the team. Everyone is really helpful and there's a lot of feedback in there.

Q. Kyle, back when you were in the Minor Leagues, your teammates nicknamed you Ted for the late great Ted Williams. How much does that mean to you, and moving forward now, do you still get a chance to talk to them?

KYLE TUCKER: Yeah, I talk to a lot of guys. A lot of guys I played with in the Minor Leagues are still either here or on another team. But there's a couple of different nicknames just throughout the year that we make up. So it's all just for fun. And baseball is a game at the end of the day, so if you are having fun out there, whether it's making up nicknames or jokes or hanging out, you know, it makes it a lot easier, more fun to be around just playing baseball.

Q. Kyle, kind of building off what J.B. just asked, you exploited a lot of weaknesses from a very good pitching staff in Chicago. Just how much is that tied to the scouting and the preparation and just how thorough is that process?

KYLE TUCKER: Yeah, I mean, you saw them all year. They have a phenomenal pitching staff and their starters and relievers and closers and everyone have done a really good job the whole year. Our one through nine hitters and the guys coming off the bench are well prepared, and we're all really good hitters. You can't just take Altuve as an easy at-bat or Brantley or Correa. You got to work through their lineup. Their lineup is really deep. Everyone can really hit, and we have a lot of preparation going into each game and each series.

Q. Hi, Kyle. I had two, actually. One, batting in the seventh hole, you don't see many guys who have led the Majors in hitting and on-base and slugging. Is that advantageous to you to bat that low in the order?

KYLE TUCKER: It's just where I'm at. Dusty makes the lineup. I have been, I guess, mostly in the six-seven spot for the most part of the year, but I have batted a couple of different spots. But, yeah, I think just with how our lineup is, you know, anyone can bat anywhere, but I think he does a good job of spreading Mike and Yordan and I out as the lefties and having good spacing out.

And I think it's really constructed well just because a lot of guys get on base in front of us, and everyone drives each other in, so that's just where I'm at. I'm all right with it.

Q. Any other question, because of the circumstances last year, this is the first year that you all played with a lot of venom from visiting fans. Does that create any kind of chip on the shoulder for the team? And you weren't there in 2017, but even particularly do you sense that among some of your teammates who were?

KYLE TUCKER: At the end of the day it's baseball, and we got to go out there and win games. Any opposing team at any opposing ballpark is going to get chirped at, but we just got to go out there and play baseball. You know, it's loud out there, so I don't hear a whole lot. Especially in the playoffs. Everything just kind of comes together. It's just noise. You know, we just go out there and try to play baseball and play it as best as we can. We don't pay too much attention about stuff that happens off the field, so we're all pretty locked in just on baseball.

Q. You mentioned their pitching staff. You haven't seen them since the beginning of June. Just how much have you seen of them since, and just what stands out about that staff?

KYLE TUCKER: The Red Sox, right? They have a couple of guys that I haven't faced, and I'm sure they have picked up a couple of guys. But, you know, we go over each individual guy's preparation. Like we'll probably do something today and especially something tomorrow before just to go over who is the starters and what guys are most likely to come in and what situations and who we're most likely to see.

But they have a good pitching staff. I mean, they've pitched really well the past year and up until the last series. They've pitched really well, so we just got to come out with the same attitude and aggressiveness that we did against the White Sox because they were a great pitching staff too, and we have to continue to put up a lot of runs and play defense and play a complete game.

Q. Kyle, as you obviously know, you have the same demeanor whatever is going on, whatever the question is, whatever game it is. It's tough to get inside you. What's this like for you to be a central figure for this team? How special is it for you to be in this position and playing a role that could very well help this team get to the World Series?

KYLE TUCKER: It's a lot of fun. I mean, I try and stay even keeled just because you can't get too high or too low. In baseball it's a marathon. You try to stay as even keeled as possible, I guess. I do get excited out there, and playing with this team, it's really easy to get excited. We're such a good team that it's really fun to be a part of and watch. But I just go out there and try to do my part. Whether it's a guy on third, and I just need to hit a ground ball to get him out with the infield back.

Each run is important, especially in the playoffs. So anything I can do whether it's just grounding out or moving a guy over a sac fly or getting a big hit, I'm just here to help the team win.

Q. Kyle, what are your favorite things about having Dusty Baker as your manager?

KYLE TUCKER: He has a lot of stories. I know you guys have probably heard that before, but he is fun to be around. You know, he always talks about back when he was playing and the stuff that he would experience as player. So he can relate to us. He has a lot of stories, and he has a lot of knowledge because he has been in this game his whole life, so he is really fun to be around just because he has all the experience.

He has been a player so he knows what players are going through and stuff like that, so it's really fun to be around, and he loves this game. That's why he is still here. He loves being around these guys, being around baseball, and he just wants to come out here and win just as much as we do, so we're going to try to get him that World Series.

Q. Kyle, how important was it for the organization to re-sign Michael Brantley, and how has he helped you grow and develop as a hitter?

KYLE TUCKER: I think he is a big part of the reason why we're here. He has obviously been doing it for a while, and he has been doing it at a really high level. He has helped out not only me, but everyone in there. He is very knowledgeable about what he does, and he is very professional about what he does. So, you know, I know as an outfielder, he kind of stays more with outfielders. Especially whenever there's a pitching change, he will tell us, hey, be smart with the ball, make sure where to throw it, don't get too caught up with stuff.

So, I mean, you know, Chas, this his first year in the Big Leagues; Jake too and Siri. And I have only had now two years really. He has helped out a lot of the young guys, and he is still learning and teaching some of the older guys, so he is a big part of where we are today.