The Chicago Cubs’ new star right-fielder Kyle Tucker finally got his first hit in Cactus League play this spring– a third-inning center field solo home run off the San Francisco Giants’ Landen Roupp on Sunday.
Tucker would round the bases, happy to be done with an 0-20 slump which, while not devastating as a spring training hiccup, was also not all that pleasant to muddle through.
As he reached his dugout, though, his teammates seemed like they couldn’t care less. They sat on the bench or leaned on the railing, looking out blankly on the green of Sloan Park.
Kyle Tucker Gets The Silent Treatment
It was the ol’ silent treatment prank, a playful rib aimed at big players doing a big thing.
22-year-old speedster Pete Crow-Armstrong, however, couldn’t keep the straight face and broke the united front to congratulate Tucker on his first home run in a Cubs uniform.
“I wasn’t sure if that was going to happen or not,” Tucker told MLB Network, regarding the prank. “And then everyone was mad at PCA, because he dabbed me up and stuff. So, they were yelling at him. It was funny. It was a good time.”
But, jokes aside, the slump-snapping shot was a relief to the 28-year-old multi-tool all-star, who’s entering his first season as a Cub.
“It was nice to at least get one before the season starts,” Tucker said. “The most important thing for me in Spring Training is just making it through healthy and making sure you’ve got enough reps to where you feel like you’re good once the season starts. I’ve felt pretty solid at the plate.”
Chicago Cubs Leaning Heavily On Their New Star
Tucker came to Chicago in a December trade with the Houston Astros in exchange for third baseman Isaac Paredes, pitcher Hayden Wesneski, and Top 100 prospect Cam Smith. The left-handed hitting outfielder is also entering into the final season of his contract before being eligible for free agency.
The addition of the talented in-his-prime asset, widely regarded as one of the best all-around players in the sport, is considered to be crucial to the Cubs’ stated goal of making the playoffs for the first time since the abbreviated 2020 season.
Tucker: Relieved, Ready, Well-Liked
At the moment, Tucker seems happy and content with his new organization and new teammates.
“I don’t think I could have gone to a much better organization than the Cubs. The fan base here is second to none. ” Tucker told MLB Network in a separate interview. “The teammates, front office, coaching staff, everyone that I’ve talked to and met so far have been amazing. It’s kind of been a pretty easy transition, just to feel comfortable and everything out here.”
And not only has Tucker fallen in love with the Cubs, the Cubs’ coaching staff has also fallen in love with him and his way of doing things.
“The way that he kind of lays the barrel off is not something that we see in the big leagues very often,” Cubs hitting coach Dustin Kelly told The Athletic. “I kind of tried to figure it out a couple years ago. Why does this guy make such good decisions? How does he make so much contact? And how does he hit it so hard?
“He’s obviously incredibly talented and physically gifted. He’s a big, strong guy. But he is so good at his game plan and what he’s looking for. And he’s willing to take pitches that he knows he can’t do damage on. That’s why you see the great decisions and the plus contact. That equals damage just because he’s got such good bat speed.”
Things are looking bright headed into the 2025 season. The players are bonding, the chemistry is bubbling up, and the Wrigley fans are dying to show Tucker their love and appreciation.
Needless to say, there shouldn’t be much more silence in the Cubs’ dugout this season.
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