Tucker returns, but Cubs bats stay silent in pivotal division loss to Milwaukee
Kyle Tucker returned to the lineup Thursday, but the Cubs offense curled up and took a nap, losing the series finale 4-1 to Milwaukee at Wrigley Field.
Despite collecting 8 walks, the Cubs didn't get many scoring chances. Their lone run happened in the fifth inning, when they loaded the bases with one out and managed only a Pete Crow-Armstrong sacrifice fly.
“I'd describe the series as we held serve,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “We probably needed a little bit more. We win three out of five, and that adds up to three wins, but today stings a little bit. Getting today's game obviously would have been a big one. They played a better game than us.”
This was the final regular-season meeting between these teams, with the Cubs winning the overall series 7-6. A victory Thursday would have pulled the Cubs within 5 games of Milwaukee in the NL Central standings. But that's still a pretty big gap with 34 games remaining.
The Cubs shouldn't forget, in the three years of expanded playoffs, the National League teams that received first-round byes have gone 1-5 in the divisional round. If the Cubs can land the top wild card, they would host a three-game series and with a win, would likely face the Brewers in the second round best-of-five.
Cubs starter Shota Imanaga finished 7 innings on the mound, allowing only a 2-run homer to Brice Turang. Milwaukee added 2 insurance runs in the eighth against Ryan Brasier. Quinn Priester started for the Brewers but exited in the fifth inning when his pitch count hit 95.
Back in the familiar No. 2 spot in the batting order, Tucker went 0-for-3 with a walk. In some ways he did what he does best, show good patience at the plate. In the first inning he started 0-2 and earned a walk. In the fifth he went from an 0-2 count to 3-2 before hitting a soft grounder to third.
Tucker never hit the ball hard, though, after taking two days off to try to rebuild his swing. Before the game the hairline fracture in his right hand, an injury that happened in late May, was a topic of conversation. The Cubs originally called it a jammed finger, but further imaging showed a small break.
It's easy to say the Cubs should have put the right fielder on the injured list, but he posted a .982 OPS in June. That slipped to .675 in July and now .381 in August.
“Wasn't really a need to go on an IL because I could still do everything,” Tucker said. “It was just more of like a pain tolerance at that point, rather than I physically couldn't do anything.
“I'm pretty much past (the hand injury). It's fine. I've been playing the whole time anyway and feeling good. I'm all right.”
Counsell felt like the Cubs may never know exactly where Tucker's swing went wrong. He compared it to a couple of subpar seasons by Christian Yelich when he managed the Brewers. Some slumps don't have an explanation.
“At any point throughout the year, you're probably one swing away from turning things around and feeling great, or something clicking to where you can feel something in that and you can make it consistent with every at-bat,” Tucker said. “Everyone's one swing away from having a really good year.”
Tucker will continue that quest on the West Coast, as the Cubs departed for a nine-game road trip through Anaheim, San Francisco and Colorado.
Counsell did not name a starter for Friday's game, saying there's “some stuff” going on. Cade Horton appears to be in good shape to stay on schedule after leaving his previous start on Monday with a blister. Horton said he felt good throwing a bullpen session and was packed for the trip. Javier Assad or Ben Brown were the likely candidates to start Friday against the Angels.