Cubs Need Slumping Star To Bounce Back Quick To Keep Pace With Surging Brewers

The Chicago Cubs are in need of help all around in their ball club right now. The starting rotation is shaky and their slugger has hit a rut.

Right fielder Kyle Tucker is in his first season with the Cubs after the team made a trade to acquire him from the Houston Astros in December of last year.

The Astros felt they needed to part ways as Tucker's free agency draws closer and he is (maybe was) looking at a max contract well into the $100 millions.

However, this season has not gone in his (or the team's) favor, which could ultimately be a big issue for their division race with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tucker with the Cubs

Kyle Tucke — Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Tucker's slash line this year of .271/.384/.474 is really not a concern overall, but it is the recent numbers that are concerning as the slash continues to decline.

In the last seven games he has been struck out eight times, with no home runs, two RBI, and a slash of .217/.357/.261, and his last game didn't help his confidence by any means.

The organization decided to give him a rest day in the last game of the series against the Cincinnati Reds after he struck out three times in his four at-bats in their 5-1 loss.

Race with the Brewers

Cade Horton in pin stripe white uniform wearing a blue hat throwing a ball against the Reds in his last start — David Banks-Imagn Images

Don't get it twisted, Chicago is still exactly where they want to be this season. There are lots of games left and that includes the postseason, but the NL Central could soon get out of their grasps if their slugger doesn't turn it around.

Again, Tucker is not the only one to point a finger at. The starting rotation of pitchers has been shaky, but some of the heat has been taken off of them with their rookie, Cade Horton, coming through.

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The pitching staff has dealt with injuries to both Justin Steele and Jameson Taillon. Steele was lost for the season with a surgery needed to repair his UCL and Taillon still sits on IL with a strained calf. Luckily, Horton has been exactly what they needed for a solid trio with Matthew Boyd and Shota Imanaga.

Milwaukee, on the other hand, has now flipped the script in the NL Central. There was one point not too long ago that the Cubs found themselves 6.5 games ahead, but now they are looking at a four-game gap.

Chicago is doing their best to navigate a slump and injuries. If/when their slugger turns it around they could be neck and neck with the Brewers when they matchup again on the 18.

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