Cubs Rest Kyle Tucker: They Seek to Reset the Outfielder After Cold Batting

CHICAGO – Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker will likely take several days off after going 0-4 in Game 1 of a doubleheader scheduled for Monday, according to manager Craig Counsell after his team’s 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers. Tucker, 28, has had a complicated August, batting .160 with no extra-base hits. He was booed after each of his last three at-bats in the loss to the Brewers, including two weak grounders and a fly ball to left field. He also hit a grounder in his first at-bat.

The fans are frustrated, and Kyle is frustrated. When you make outs, it doesn’t look good. He’s trying. It’s just not working. We’re going to have to take a step back here, just give him a few days off to reset, hopefully.
Craig Counsell

Because players are not available to speak between doubleheaders, Tucker was unable to comment on the decision. Game 2 was postponed to Tuesday due to bad weather. Tucker hasn’t hit a home run since July 19 and has only four extra-base hits since July 1.

He’s frustrated, and we’re not finding solutions for him and he’s not finding solutions. Sometimes, you have to take a few steps back to move forward again.
Craig Counsell

In general, Tucker is batting .261 with an OPS of .821, but his ground ball rate has skyrocketed in August. It’s 53.7%, the seventeenth highest among qualified hitters. At the beginning of the month, he held the ninth lowest spot in ground ball rate.

It’s not for lack of effort on the part of the coaching staff or Kyle. He hasn’t hit the ball hard in a long time. The ball is not in the air. Exit velocities are not high. A lot of this is mechanical. If you look at his swing earlier in the year, compared to now, it’s less connected, therefore less powerful.
Jed Hoyer

Tucker injured his right ring finger in early June, an injury that could have impacted the grip on his swing and, subsequently, his mechanics, but he insists that’s not a problem. The eight-year veteran will be a free agent after this season.

He’s too good of a player not to figure it out. He’s going to catch fire again. Hopefully, it’ll be a hot streak like it was in April.
Jed Hoyer

That streak won’t start for at least a few games, as Tucker will continue to work behind the scenes to find solutions while taking a mental break. Meanwhile, Cubs opener Cade Horton left Monday’s loss in the third inning due to a blister issue, but said he believes he will make his next start.