Cubs’ Tucker returns as Chicago drops finale to Brewers, but series win keeps playoff hopes alive
Kyle Tucker was back in the Cubs’ lineup Thursday after a three-game respite aimed at helping him reset and regain his swing. “We won a few games,” Tucker said, underscoring a small positive from the pause.
The Cubs fell 4-1 to the Milwaukee Brewers in the finale of a five-game series at Wrigley Field, a setback that left Chicago seven games behind in the NL Central and with the broader playoff picture still within reach, albeit tight. Tucker went 0-for-4 with a walk as Shota Imanaga pitched well in seven innings, allowing just one mistake—a Brice Turang two-run homer in the second.
For five games and one rainout, the Brewers seemed to linger around Wrigley, while Chicago managed to take the series overall. Cubs manager Craig Counsell (Brewers) said his club felt they “held serve” in the set, but conceded today’s loss stung. “We probably needed it a little bit more. We win three out of five. Today would’ve been a big one,” Counsell said, noting Milwaukee’s stronger performance in the decisive game.
The Cubs totaled five hits and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position, finishing the series with a .187 batting average against Brewers pitching. Counsell also left his hottest hitter, Matt Shaw, on the bench in the ninth as a defensive substitute.
Tucker’s return offered another chance to prove the time off paid off. He grounded out twice, lined out to second, and flew out to center in an inauspicious afternoon, though the wind held steady in, complicating scoring opportunities for both clubs.
This week has been eventful for Tucker. A June 1 slide appeared to cause a small fracture in his right hand near his ring and pinkie fingers, though details were murky at the time. He acknowledged playing through some pain, arguing it was more a matter of pain tolerance than physical limitation. Tucker noted he could still do everything, which influenced the decision to avoid an injury designation and keep playing through the slump.
As Tucker heads toward free agency, where he’s expected to draw top-hitter attention—potentially worth hundreds of millions—the Cubs’ approach remains part of a broader conversation about health, performance, and long-term plans. Counsell explained that injuries are often not disclosed when a player is still contributing, insisting Tucker was healthy enough to play and hit for a stretch. The decision to keep him in the lineup was a mutual one, made to balance competitiveness with risk.
The late innings offered a microcosm of the day. The Cubs threatened in the seventh with the tying run at the plate with no outs, but Tucker’s softly hit ball to second was turned into a double play when Michael Busch couldn’t recover in time, and Seiya Suzuki struck out. Milwaukee added two more in the eighth on Isaac Collins’ two-run single off Ryan Brasier, whose ERA ballooned to 14.86 over his last eight appearances. Chicago did manage back-to-back walks to start the eighth but couldn’t push across a run.
Chicago now heads west for a three-game set in Anaheim against the Angels, followed by trips to San Francisco and Denver. The Cubs still control their fate in the NL wild-card race, and a 5-3 homestand at least suggested they might be shaking off their All-Star break doldrums.
The rowdy but good-natured Brewers fans filled Wrigley this week, and the park honored late Brewers broadcaster Bob Uecker with a commemorative moment just days after his passing. For the season series, the Cubs did take the edge, 7-6, a nod to a rivalry that remains compelling.
If there’s a hopeful thread to lift from this week, it’s that Tucker’s return coincides with a potential shift in momentum as the Cubs seek to stabilize their offense and capitalize on a favorable schedule ahead. Whether Chicago can convert these signs into a sustained push toward the postseason remains the central storyline as they head out on the road.