“It’s unfortunate” - Cubs manager Craig Counsell takes “step back” on $16,500,000 superstar with reset mission after continued setbacks

After a solid first half of the season with the Chicago Cubs, Kyle Tucker has become the pantomime villain for fans. The All-Star outfielder was booed by Cubs fans at Wrigley Field during their series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tucker has just one home run in his last 136 at-bats, and the frustration got the better of him as he smashed his helmet on the ground after rounding first base during the series opener.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced Tucker will be on the bench for the second game to give the All-Star outfielder some time to "reset."

"The fans are frustrated and Kyle’s frustrated,” Counsell said. “And it’s unfortunate, because Kyle, when you make outs, it doesn’t look great. But he’s trying. It’s just not clicking. We’re going to have to take a little step back here, for sure, and just give him some days off to reset him, hopefully.

“Because he’s frustrated and we’re not coming up with solutions for him and he’s not coming up with solutions. Sometimes you have to take some steps back to go forward again.”

Kyle Tucker signed a one-year $16.5 million deal with the Cubs to avoid arbitration following a blockbuster trade in the offseason. He was a catalyst in the Cubs' surging offense in the first half, slugging .499 with a .883, a stark contrast to his .239 slugging and a .572 OPS since the All-Star break.

Cubs president Jed Hoyer backs Kyle Tucker amid slump

Kyle Tucker tried to change things up during the Cubs' series against the Toronto Blue Jays as the former Houston Astros outfielder took batting practice in the open.

“I was trying to get that feeling back,” Tucker said. “And trying to do it out on the field, where you have the visual of what it’s going to be like in the game, and try to replicate that once the game starts.”

Despite Tucker's ongoing struggles, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer believes the All-Star slugger is "too good a player" not to break out of his slump.