For months now, Cubs fans have been wondering who No. 30 is and what he's done with right fielder and designated hitter Kyle Tucker.
Tucker, whose gaudy early-season numbers helped turn Chicago into one of the most exciting teams in baseball, slashed just .218/.380/.295 in July. He has been even worse in August, posting a .148/.233/.148 slashline in 15 games. His last extra-base hit came on July 30.
On Wednesday, Cubs fans received a reported explanation for Tucker's struggles. According to a report from ESPN's Jesse Rogers, Tucker has been playing through a hairline fracture in his right hand suffered June 1 against the Reds.
"Tucker, 28, wanted to keep playing for the then-first-place Cubs, choosing against an (injured-list) stint as he compiled a .982 OPS that month. But his numbers have tanked since the beginning of July, leading to him getting several days off this week for a reset," Rogers wrote.
Even with the reported injury, Tucker is 10th in the National League among position players with a bWAR of 4.1. If Chicago can get him remotely healthy by the end of the season, its prize offseason acquisition could turn into a dangerous October wild card.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Slumping Cubs Star Kyle Tucker Has Played Through Hairline Fracture Since June.
