The Chicago Cubs are under a ton of pressure headed into the postseason, and they’ve also got arguably more question marks than any other contender.
But amid a thin rotation, a relatively inexperienced bullpen, and some second-half slumps for players who played their best baseball ever in the first half, the one thing Chicago was supposed to be able to bank on was Kyle Tucker’s consistency.
By now, most know the story. Tucker got benched for three games last week following a six-week slump, and in the middle of that stretch, it was revealed that the superstar outfielder had played through a hairline fracture in his hand that he suffered all the way back on June 1.
What’s done is done, but now that Tucker has three home runs since returning from his brief timeout, do the Cubs still have reason to be concerned?
According to Jim Bowden of The Athletic, the answer is a resounding “yes.” On Wednesday, Bowden called Tucker’s summer slump his “biggest concern” surrounding the team as the September stretch run approaches.
“Tucker was the aircraft carrier of the Cubs during the first three months of the season, taking pressure off everyone else as he starred in the field, on the bases and at the plate, performing like a top-10 player in the sport — one who could land a $500 to $600 million contract this offseason in free agency,” Bowden wrote.
“It looks like the rest helped, as Tucker had hit .295/.355/.630 over his last seven games entering Tuesday. … Can he keep it up? The Cubs need Tucker at his best if they’re going to close the season strong and have success in October.”
If the Cubs had a few more years of team control over Tucker, it might be less concerning that he played through injury for such a long time. But the Cubs know they might only get one shot to make a deep playoff run with Tucker before he hits free agency this winter.
All of Tucker’s July and August struggles will be forgiven if he shines in October. But has he already been put at a disadvantage thanks to playing through that injury for such an extended stretch?
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