Cubs' star outfielder has the 'most to prove' following summer slump, per insider
originally appeared on The Sporting News

Back in December, the Chicago Cubs acquired Kyle Tucker in a trade with the Houston Astros. They parted ways with Isaac Paredes, Hayden Wesneski, and prospect Cam Smith for the former Gold Glove Award winner.

It was a great trade for Chicago as they were able to add an experienced and elite slugging outfielder to their mix. He really exploded on the scene in June when he hit .311 with five home runs and 13 runs batted in across 25 games. 

However, he would go on to experience a slump in July and a good portion of August. In July, he would only hit one home run while hitting .208, and in August, he would go on to struggle during the first half, but turned it around for the second half. 

When Tucker is on, the Cubs have been a force to be reckoned with. MLB.com's Jordan Bastion credits him as the one player on the club with the most to prove as the season dwindles. 

"When Tucker was hitting at an MVP-caliber level early on, Chicago was rolling out one of baseball's most potent lineups," said Bastion. "The Cubs need Tucker (who left Tuesday's game with left calf tightness) firing on all cylinders down the stretch, especially if the team hopes to have a deep October run."

Kyle Tucker remains out of the Cubs' lineup on Friday

The Cubs are not planning on rushing Kyle Tucker back from his calf injury. They are keeping him out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Washington Nationals. 

With a potential deep postseason run upcoming, they want to make sure their star is healthy. However, they cannot lose too many games and take themselves out of the top wild card spot in the NL. 

#Cubs039 #star #outfielder #039most #prove039 #summer #slump #insider