MLB WORLD SERIES: ASTROS VS BRAVES

October 31, 2021

Kyle Tucker

Truist Park

Houston Astros

Pregame 5 Press Conference

Q. Were you mad Straw didn't wear your jersey yesterday?

KYLE TUCKER: No. I think Mike ended up like bringing that from Houston. I'm pretty sure he gave it back. It's all good. We're boys.

Q. How have you adjusted to center field these last two games? And kind of what have you thought of the defensive outfield that you guys have put out there these past two games?

KYLE TUCKER: I mean, playing center is definitely different, but I think I've done a good job. I just try to go out there and do my best and try to catch as many balls and get in as fast as possible. I think overall we've done pretty good.

Q. Going into an elimination game like today, is it more helpful for you to think of it like any other game, or do you need to kind of apply some urgency and think like, oh, it's do or die?

KYLE TUCKER: A little bit of both. I think you need to play with your strengths that got you here, but at the same time you need to do what you need to do to win the game, whether it's trying to hit a ground ball to first to move a runner over. If you need to do that, you need to do that just to try to win the game. It's a little bit of both.

Q. What has Atlanta's pitching staff done so well to shut down your lineup, and what will it take to get this thing going here in Game 5?

KYLE TUCKER: I think they've thrown a lot of good pitches, not leaving too much over the middle of the plate. That's what good pitchers do, they leave it out around the middle of the plate, leave it out on the corners, and try to get you behind in the count to swing at stuff you don't really want to swing it.

We've got to keep battling and try to get them to throw it over the plate and put pressure on them that way.

Q. I'm going to ask a question related to that previous question. You and Alvarez known as the left hitter going against a left pitcher. Do you think the Braves pitcher is doing something different than other lefties?

KYLE TUCKER: No, I've faced a ton of lefties this year. It's primarily fastball, slider, and curveball. They've just done a good job of executing some of their pitches to get us out. Obviously, we haven't seen these guys before the series, but it's still lefties. We've still got to go out there and hit the ball.

Q. Dusty Baker said you're really low key, even in the clubhouse or like clutch point in the game. Where does it come from, that mentality?

KYLE TUCKER: I don't know, I'm pretty chill, I guess. My parents raised me to be pretty humble and just go about my business and not get too flashy, just go out there and have fun and do your thing. That's just kind of how I am.

Q. With a pitcher like tonight who hasn't pitched against Major League batters since June, do you go back and look at the video from months ago? Is that relevant? Or do you just wait and try to react to what you're seeing with your eyes?

KYLE TUCKER: Kind of both. I mean, you obviously will go back and look at video of how he's pitched in the past in the Minor Leagues, but at the same time, we'll get kind of a feel of how he's throwing today during the first inning and so on. So you do your homework of how he's pitched in the past, and you've got to go with what he's been doing today.

Q. I'm curious, as a younger player who's been around this veteran group that's been through so many runs together, has there been any consciousness on your part to try to appreciate being around these guys with the potential that you might not have this exact same group back next year?

KYLE TUCKER: I appreciate this team every day. Every year someone's up for a new contract or going to retire or something. So you never really have the same team every year. So we have a really special group. Great group of guys. I love playing with these guys and spending time with them. So never taking a day or a game for granted.