And you know what the Cubs probably need to take it a bit further because Kyle Tucker isn’t playing like a guy who is close to being healthy. Jed Hoyer talked about how Tucker has changed his mechanics after dealing with a finger injury back in June and there’s just no way you can convince me that his finger isn’t still creating issues at the plate.
We’re talking about a guy who was the fourth-best hitter in the NL by the end of June to a guy who has one home run in the past two months. After going 0-for-4 in Monday’s 7-0 loss to the Brewers, Tucker’s slash line in August dropped to an unbelievable .148/.233/.148. That’s a .381 OPS in 54 at-bats.
Tucker will be getting a few days off to reset on the bench.
Recently called up outfield prospect Owen Caissie is starting in right field in Game 1 of Tuesday’s double header against the Brewers as Tucker’s benching has immediately started.
Here’s what Hoyer said regarding Tucker’s struggles during his appearance on 670 The Score Monday morning.
“He probably changed his mechanics a bit while fighting through it,” Hoyer said on the Mully & Haugh Show on Monday morning. “And I think that probably is a big part of it. I mean, he is a little bit different mechanically than he was at the beginning of the year, and that’s what he’s working hard to get back to.”
I mean, the Cubs probably should have done this a while ago or as I keep hinting at, maybe they should have placed Tucker on the 10-day injured list a few weeks ago. Sure, Tucker was still somewhat contributing in July with a .380 OBP, but it was pretty obvious that he wasn’t right, considering he ended the month with a .295 slugging %.
Of course, Tucker’s decline isn’t the only issue with the offense. Besides Matt Shaw, nearly the entire lineup has slumped since the All-Star break and the Cubs rank near the bottom of the league in runs per game during the past month. If the Cubs turn it around, then Tucker has to contribute. But it sure would help if other guys around him would step up, too.
