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Jesse Rogers
CHICAGO — Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker is likely to get multiple days off after going 0-for-4 in Game 1 of a scheduled doubleheader Monday, manager Craig Counsell said after his team’s 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Tucker, 28, has struggled mightily this month, hitting .160 with zero extra-base hits. He was booed after each of his final three at-bats in the loss to the Brewers, including two weak groundouts and a popup to left field. He also grounded out in his first at-bat.
“The fans are frustrated, and Kyle is frustrated,” Counsell said. “When you make outs, it doesn’t look good. He’s trying. It’s just not clicking. We’re going to have to take a step back here, just give him some days off to reset him, hopefully.”
Players aren’t available to speak between doubleheaders, so Tucker couldn’t comment on the decision, and Game 2 was later postponed to Tuesday because of inclement weather.
Tucker hasn’t homered since July 19 and has just four extra-base hits since July 1.
“He’s frustrated, and we’re not coming up with solutions for him and he’s not coming up with solutions,” Counsell said. “Sometimes, you have to take some steps back to go forward again.”
Overall, Tucker is hitting .261 with an .821 OPS, but his ground ball rate has skyrocketed in August. It’s 53.7%, 17th highest among qualified hitters, according to ESPN Research. Entering the month, he ranked ninth lowest in ground ball rate.
“It’s not for lack of effort on the coaching side or Kyle’s side,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said before the game. “He hasn’t slugged in quite a while. The ball is not in the air. The exit velos aren’t high. A lot of it is mechanical. If you look at his swing early in the year, as opposed to now, it’s less connected, therefore less powerful.”
Tucker jammed 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 an issue. The eight-year veteran will be a free agent after this season.
“He’s too good a player for it not to click,” Hoyer said. “He’s going to get hot again. Hopefully, it’s a torrid-hot streak like it was in April.”
That streak won’t begin at least for a few games as Tucker will continue to work behind the scenes to find solutions while getting a mental reset. Meanwhile, Cubs starter Cade Horton left Monday’s loss in the third inning because of a blister issue, but he said he thinks he’ll make his next start.
“It’s nothing crazy,” Horton said.