{"id":579579,"date":"2026-02-18T17:15:27","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T17:15:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/579579\/"},"modified":"2026-02-18T17:15:27","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T17:15:27","slug":"kyle-tucker-edwin-diaz-give-refreshing-message-to-dodgers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/579579\/","title":{"rendered":"Kyle Tucker, Edwin D\u00edaz give ‘refreshing’ message to Dodgers"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2013\u2013 In his annual start-of-the-spring address to his Dodger team on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts<\/a> delivered a simple message to the two-time defending World Series champions.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think for us it\u2019s more about looking forward, focusing on ourselves and \u2026 not concerning us with outside expectations, noise, other teams,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s what we\u2019ve done a pretty good job of in years past.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, Roberts invited the club\u2019s two superstar offseason additions to speak to the room and drive home that message.<\/p>\n

As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings \u2013\u2013 which take place on the morning of the club\u2019s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday \u2013\u2013 the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,\u201d Roberts explained. \u201cI think it\u2019s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn\u2019t been here.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year, that meant speeches from Kyle Tucker and Edwin D\u00edaz, each of whom explained why they wanted to sign with the Dodgers<\/a> as free agents this winter.<\/p>\n

Roberts said Tucker talked about watching \u201chow the Dodgers go about things\u201d while playing against them as a member of the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros over the last eight years, calling the franchise \u201ca destination place.\u201d<\/p>\n

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D\u00edaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always \u201clook pretty nice on the field\u201d and how he \u201cheard they treat every player the same inside the clubhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat,\u201d the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, \u201cwas one of the things I was looking for.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Dodgers hope that a scene like Tuesday\u2019s will serve as a tone-setter ahead of their three-peat pursuit this year. Simply signing big names like Tucker (the $240 million outfielder) and Diaz (the $69 million right-hander) served as a source of reinvigoration for the club this offseason<\/a>. But hearing their perspectives of the team for the first time was \u201crefreshing,\u201d veteran third baseman and longest tenured Dodger Max Muncy said.<\/p>\n

Kyle Tucker explained why he wanted to sign with the Dodgers as a free agent this winter. Jason Szenes for CA Post<\/p>\n

\u201cNot that anyone in this room ever forgets, but (when) they talk about how good the organization is from the outside, from what they see and what they hear, just things about how the front office and the staff treats the players and the families \u2013\u2013 (it\u2019s a reminder that) we have it really good here,\u201d Muncy said.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s another important dynamic, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen you get that little extra hunger from guys who want to go out there and win a ring,\u201d Muncy added. \u201cIt keeps everyone else in here hungry, because you just start feeding off each other. And when it\u2019s time to go out there and it\u2019s go time, everyone\u2019s ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

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D\u00edaz echoed that sentiment when he got up to talk, joking that the Dodgers always \u201clook pretty nice on the field.\u201d JASON SZENES FOR CA POST<\/p>\n

For these Dodgers, it won\u2019t be \u201cgo time\u201d for a little while still.<\/p>\n

Unlike the past two years, the team has no early start or season-opening international trip. And while they will send five players to next month\u2019s World Baseball Classic (including Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith, Hyeseong Kim and D\u00edaz), they will use this spring to slowly build up many of their other veterans after a short offseason (namely, Muncy, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, whom Roberts said will likely not be playing in Cactus League games right away).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just about preparation,\u201d said Betts, recounting the message he shared as one of several longtime Dodgers to talk at Tuesday\u2019s meeting, along with Miguel Rojas and Will Smith. \u201cOur confidence is gonna come with our preparation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roberts said Tucker talked about watching \u201chow the Dodgers go about things\u201d while playing against them. JASON SZENES FOR CA POST<\/p>\n

\u201cThat,\u201d the new closer added while speaking to reporters later, \u201cwas one of the things I was looking for.\u201d JASON SZENES FOR CA POST<\/p>\n

Tuesday, however, was about setting bigger-picture expectations, too, and reminding both the club\u2019s returning core and new star players about the opportunity in front of them.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just trying to sustain that energy, that focus every day,\u201d Roberts said, reiterating his clubhouse message. \u201cPut those blinders on and get to work.\u201d<\/p>\n

As has become a common theme in these team-wide spring meetings \u2013\u2013 which take place on the morning of the club\u2019s first full-squad workouts, which the Dodgers had on Tuesday \u2013\u2013 the longtime skipper wanted his returning players to hear from the new faces in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was just more about what made the Dodgers attractive to them,\u201d Roberts explained. \u201cI think it\u2019s powerful for our guys to hear it from the other side, from somebody who hasn\u2019t been here.\u201d<\/p>\n

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