The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” but the Los Angeles Dodgers are choosing a different path as they prepare for another championship run, restructuring a lineup that has delivered back-to-back World Series titles.

Instead of maintaining the same elite trio at the top of their order, the Dodgers are embracing a new era shaped by the acquisition of Kyle Tucker, who is expected to take over right field and occupy one of the most valuable spots in the batting order.

Manager Dave Roberts has made it clear that Shohei Ohtani will remain the leadoff hitter, but Tucker will likely slot in behind him, pushing Mookie Betts to the third position while Freddie Freeman anchors the cleanup role.

This shift breaks up the iconic Ohtani-Betts-Freeman triumvirate that has defined Los Angeles’ recent offensive dominance, raising questions about how Betts will respond to the shake-up and how the new structure will impact the Dodgers’ rhythm.

The 2025 season presented an unusually rocky beginning for Mookie Betts, who entered the year battling a virus that caused him to lose nearly 20 pounds and forced him to miss the first several weeks.

For the first time in his Dodgers career, Betts never looked physically right, and playing shortstop full-time — the most demanding position on the infield — only added to the toll on his body and offensive mechanics.

To his credit, Betts played exceptional defense, delivering Gold Glove-caliber work at shortstop, but the wear and tear translated into his worst performance at the plate, finishing with a .258 batting average and clear signs of diminished strength.

Even as he improved late in the season, Betts never looked fully restored, and his swing lacked the explosive pop fans had come to expect throughout his MVP-level peak years.

Roberts has already indicated that Betts will be his everyday No. 3 hitter, a role he will maintain regardless of opposing pitcher handedness, leaving open decisions about who will bat second and fourth around the established core.

Ohtani remains locked into the leadoff job, a rare assignment for a player of his power and run-production capacity, but one that showcases his elite ability to set the tone with immediate offensive pressure.

Tucker, hitting behind Ohtani, brings a different kind of spark: a .290 caliber bat with line-drive consistency, left-handed balance, and the ability to force pitchers into defensive positioning that sets the stage for Betts and Freeman.

Roberts has made clear he wants Tucker’s reliability and approach at the top of the order, even if it means breaking decades of Dodgers tradition of alternating left- and right-handed hitters.

Betts openly admitted after the season that his first year at shortstop affected his offense, though initially he tried to shrug off the idea, insisting he could handle the physical strain without consequences.

With time and reflection, Betts has acknowledged that his offensive production suffered because of the added responsibilities, and he spent the offseason simplifying his swing to regain strength and fluidity.

Roberts remains strongly in Betts’ corner, expressing full confidence that a healthier, stronger, and more mechanically sound Betts will return to MVP-level form in 2026, especially in a batting role that reduces physical stress.

Roberts even stated, “The way he played shortstop last year, and expecting him to be better offensively this year, he will be in the MVP conversation,” signaling total belief in Betts’ ability to rebound.

For years, the Dodgers’ lineup construction relied heavily on alternating left- and right-handed bats, a strategic approach that put constant pressure on opposing pitchers and neutralized bullpen matchups under MLB’s three-batter minimum rule.

This balance created one of baseball’s most suffocating offenses, one that forced pitchers to adapt constantly by facing different angles, swing planes, and plate-coverage threats throughout every inning.

The Dodgers’ elite plate discipline has also historically turned every at-bat into a battle, stretching pitch counts, wearing out starters, and exposing middle relievers in high-leverage situations where Los Angeles thrives.

Yet despite their elite construction on paper, there were stretches last season where the Dodgers’ offense inexplicably went cold, creating frustrating lulls that disrupted momentum.

Injuries and illnesses contributed to the inconsistency, but Roberts and the front office also believed the lineup needed a spark — a new shape, a new rhythm, and a new connection between elite hitters.

Enter Kyle Tucker, whose arrival provides the Dodgers with a hitter capable of protecting Ohtani, bridging Betts and Freeman, and bringing professional at-bats that help avoid the offensive droughts that plagued stretches of 2025.

Tucker’s presence behind Ohtani adds a layer of unpredictability that could elevate the Dodgers’ offensive ceiling, forcing opposing pitchers to navigate two of the most disciplined and productive hitters in baseball back-to-back.

Roberts sees Tucker as a catalyst, even if the new lineup deviates from the old pattern of alternating handedness that helped fuel past championship runs.

The Dodgers won only 93 games during the 2025 regular season, a solid but unspectacular total by their championship standards, and several internal reviews highlighted long stretches where the offense appeared flat and uninterested.

Even during their postseason push, moments arose where Los Angeles struggled to produce timely hitting, forcing Roberts to rethink the structure of the top half of his order entering 2026.

Tucker’s ability to hit for average, work counts, and generate consistent on-base production could be the missing ingredient that balances Ohtani’s explosiveness, Betts’ dynamic skill set, and Freeman’s power-contact blend.

If this lineup transformation works as envisioned, the Dodgers may unlock their most dangerous offensive version yet — one defined by diversity of skill, relentless pressure, and fewer cold spells.

And if it doesn’t? Roberts has never been afraid to make adjustments, and with nearly seven months separating Opening Day from October baseball, the Dodgers have plenty of time to fine-tune the formula before the games that matter most.

The luxury of talent, depth, and experience gives Los Angeles flexibility, and Tucker’s integration represents the next chapter in a dynasty still very much in its prime.

The only guarantee is that the Dodgers — even as defending back-to-back champions — refuse to stand still, choosing constant evolution over complacency in pursuit of a rare three-peat and a deepening baseball legacy.

In Los Angeles, the standard remains sky-high, and the Freeman-Betts-Ohtani-Tucker core will be judged by whether they deliver yet another championship parade through the heart of Southern California.