With less than one month remaining until the start of the postseason, teams are starting to watch the injury concerns of some of their stars and make adjustments. The Chicago Cubs made the right decision regarding outfielder Kyle Tucker. The handling and timing of the decision, however, are now questionable.
On Monday, the Cubs felt good enough about Tuckerâs lingering injury to get him back at the plate after missing a handful of games. The Cubs didnât put him on the injured list despite not playing since their 4-3 home win over the Atlanta Braves. The idea was that he wasnât hurt badly enough to be on the 10-day injured list, and he could soon play.
Cubs Put Kyle Tucker On the 10-day Injured List
On Tuesday, however, the Cubs decided to place Tucker on the IL based on his lingering calf issue. This was retroactive to this past Saturday, the league says. The decision to move Tucker to the IL isnât a concern for many Cubs fans. Many felt he needed the time to heal. The concern lies in the poor timing of management to pull the trigger.
Not only was Tucker not playing for a handful of games, but he was also taking up a spot on the bench. That spot could have been used for a developing minor league player, who could be a reliable player later for the organization.
Tucker has had some good, but not great moments, within the Cubsâ last month. From Aug. 1 to Sept. 2, Tucker scored 14 runs (including four home runs), drove in 12 RBIs, stole two bases, drew 12 walks, and posted a .245 batting average, .339 on-base percentage, and .408 slugging percentage.
The Cubs havenât been the hot team they were in the first half of the season. At one point, Chicago dominated the NL Central. In the 27 games Tucker has played during this stretch, the Cubs have won only 13.
Chicago entered Wednesday’s action 6.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers for first place in the division. They are currently holding the top projected wild-card spot. Still, Chicago has fallen hard in the second half of the season because of roster mismanagement like this.
Cubs Also Move a Developing Catcher
The Cubs also promoted one of their top minor league prospects, 21-year-old catcher Moises Ballesteros. This will be Ballesterosâ third stint in the major leagues after debuting in mid-May.
In the six Major League games played earlier this season, Ballesteros has accounted for a batting average of .222, an on-base percentage of .300, and a slugging percentage of .278. In 20 plate appearances, he has accumulated three runs, four hits, six RBIs, two walks, and only one strikeout.
Ballesterosâ third time on the roster will be a chance for the young player to gain some confidence and good habits to potentially find more playing time next season or be on the roster during the postseason.Â
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