How Far Can The Chicago Cubs Go WITHOUT Kyle Tucker?

How Far Can The Chicago Cubs Go WITHOUT Kyle Tucker?

How far can the Cubs go if they don’t have Kyle Tucker? You are Locked on Cubs, your daily Chicago Cubs podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network, your team every day. You are Locked On Cubs, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Alongside Samber, I’m Matt Cozy. Sam and I are lifelong fans, taking our passion into discussion with you on all things Cubs. This episode is brought to you by FiveHour Energy. Enough with the boring flavorless caffeine. It’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5Hour Energy shots. Go to 5hour energy.com or Amazon today. Kyle Tucker’s calf isn’t making progress. He is stuck in the rehab process. There’s still time though. the calendar’s on his side. You would like for him to return next week. But his talent, his process, he could likely get ready on his own as long as he plays on Tuesday, September 30th, which is wildcard game one as we are your home for the Cubs postseason run here on Locked on Cubs. So, we’ll stay tuned for this, especially considering getting him right and locked in, which also has consequences for him as a free agent this off season. But Sam, this is a player who not only is an elite talent, he also has playoff experience. And for the Cubs to do well in the playoffs, I I do think they really need him though, we’ll review the the options on the table. Yeah, I think I think if he if he’s really compromised and the question is is is where can the Cubs go without Kyle Tucker? I think the the the basic answer is I think they could win a three-game series without him in the wild card. Now, I would much rather have him out there. I think I think not having him out there decreases their chances. But baseball’s baseball and let’s just assume it’s Cubs, Padres’s, or Wrigley. That feels like the fair assumption at this point. You know, the Cubs could win that series without Kyle Tucker. It’s not like football where you play one game and you don’t have your starting quarterback and it’s like, well, you got no shot. You know what I mean? In fact, you mentioned it, I think yesterday, their record, you know, without him right now is pretty decent. Yeah. 13 and six. But I think his injury, you know, the long-term the, as you mentioned, the Cubs are, you know, gave themselves a chance yesterday to win the World Series. I I don’t believe they could make a long run without Kyle Tucker. I think that’s where I would would sit. I think they could survive a three-game set. that’s probably where it would end. Um, you know, because what what he brings to the table when healthy is just he has a little bit of everything. He’s got a little bit of Hap. He’s got a little bit of Bush and say Pete like he he he’ll, you know, you know, he’ll get give a good at bat. The only thing you’re you’re rooting, you know, to not happen is just that rollover ground ball that he had when he slumps, but when that’s not there, he’s just not a guy you want to face in a big spot. And the Cubs don’t have a lot of guys like that right now. Like Hap’s hitting great. Nico’s been amazing. He’s one of those. Swanson’s been great. But I I can promise you this team needs Kyle Tucker to make a long run. They do. They do. And you’re objectively worse with Seiya and Wright and Bayister at DH. I I don’t know how else to say it. I do think Bayister could could be a hot hand entering the wild card series if you believe in that sort of thing and it was a good sign that Seiya was in the lineup. Both of them were Seiya and uh Bisteros on on Thursday as Craig Councel didn’t put out the champagne lineup you but you know your defense suffers and especially you know inserting a rookie in there that really didn’t get many reps this year at the big league level. Yeah, it’s not an ideal scenario. I I like your pitch for the the threeame series thing. they could win two out of three against the the Padres’s. Uh but then to the concern meter, it would just it would increase from there. Um right now, Sam, my my concern meter, I thought about this before work today, after work. Uh it’s at a 7.3. That’s where I’m at right now. It just doesn’t seem I I know he left the team, but it doesn’t seem like a major injury. He’s not in pain. He can throw, he can hit, he can run, but he can’t run well. And afterwards, he’s in discomfort, right? And so the the reason why for me it’s at a 73 is well September 30 rolls around and he decides you know what even though there is some things at stake here I’ve never really been in pain and I’ll just be super thoughtful about my treatment after this game and if I get back to the dugout after hitting a double off the Ivy uh and I’m in discomfort so be it because it’s about this year more than it is about, you know, my the winter meetings and the deal he’s going to get. Yeah. I think I think my concern level is a little higher now. And I’m going to tell you why. A a calf injury. Now, baseball’s not like basketball or football, but like calf, achilles, those things are always connected. And you know, he’s in his he’s in his walk. And so if anything’s slightly off with that calf because he’s in his walk earier, I just think he might be getting advice to say do not push it, right? Do not push it first to third. The last thing that could happen right now is for you to tear something or do something big and then your whole free agency is is ruined. You know what I mean? And so because of that, that’s my concern. Like I don’t think this is a serious injury either, but I think when you have now I don’t know how much money he has on the line anymore and I’m kind of tired of talking about it because I don’t think it’s going to be here regardless. Um but let’s just let’s let’s say it’s 300. Is that fair? I if if you got $300 million on the line, you know, and your agent is telling you, hey, you know, someone’s saying, “Hey, this calf, the only way it’s going to get worse is if you really, you know, sprint on it or do something. it just needs 3 4 weeks of rest that plays into it. You know what I mean? And I don’t think that’s crazy to say. So I I’m just worried about that element of it, the walkier element of it. But I I think he’s going to come back. I mean, I think he’s going to pick. I just think he’s being real cautious. Yeah. And you know, it’d be nice to have him in there against the the righties, you know, King Case Paveta, Darvish. Uh then I mean that’s just the people that would open the game. Not to mention the the bullpen, Miller, Suarez. Uh feel like I’m missing a name. Estrada. Estrada. Yeah. Yeah. All they are filled with good righties. Righties. It’s all righties. And to be thorough here, I did want to bring this up too. Whatever happens, you can’t have Willie Castro start right. No. If you want to to increase your defense, then then please monitor closely Owen Casey. Put him out there and put Sey at DH. At that point, you’re trading Casey for Bayister, but again, it would really be for the defensive part of it. And and you mentioned earlier, you know, Suzuki and and Bisteros would be worse. Listen, I if Seiya doesn’t show something soon, I think Bisteros is going to be your starting DH September 30th. I’m serious. I’m serious. Big a big story line whether Tucker plays or not. Now that’s that’s if Seiya doesn’t show uh uh something here in the next, you know, 10 or so games, whatever it is. So, right, they’re keeping a close eye on him really starting tonight. Yeah, I’ll talk I’ll talk about that later on. Yeah. All right, Cubs Reds recap coming up. Uh Cubs are starting to manipulate their pitching. You know, what do we expect out of these last nine ten games? You know, is it to win two the last two out of three against the Reds and then two out of three Mets, two out of three Cardinals? Can they go six and three over the final nine? Does it even matter? Um you know that and a whole lot more. Sam has that for you solo coming up. We’ll be back Sunday after the finale of Cubs Reds. Uh it’s crazy. We’re in the single digits of games left and the wildcard opener Tuesday, September 30th. Stay with us all postseason long uh for full coverage. All right, coming up next, it is that recap of Cubs Roads. 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We are back here on Locked on Cubs. Shout out to the everydayers. You can become an everydayer by joining us for every episode throughout the week. I am going to take us home today solo after the Cubs just got beat one- nothing by the Cincinnati Reds. Uh not a whole lot to discuss in this baseball game. Uh Hunter Green was absolutely tremendous. Uh he he did everything he did everything right. I mean, the there were a couple balls hit really hard by Pete, one of them that hit Moises Bisteros in the helmet. That was really scary. Um, BC hit a couple balls. Well, I thought that ball in the ninth inning, BCH worked a really good plate appearance there in the ninth inning. Eight pitch, nine pitch plate appearance and flew out to the track. Ball just didn’t seem to be carrying, which is kind of weird for Great American Ballpark. But, uh, overall uh, this is one of those games day after you clinch a playoff spot, you’re still comfortably, uh, five games ahead of the San Diego Padres’s for the first home slot. Um, you’re you’re comfortably be behind the Brewers for the division. This is a rare one. You guys know me pretty well, but this is a rare one where I shrug my shoulders. And if you’re if you’re watching on listening on audio, I’m actually shrugging my shoulders and I say, “So what? You went it was a must-win game for the Reds. This this is going to be a tough series for the Cubs. We talked about it. I mean, the the Reds pretty much have to like win every game or or close to it the rest of the way. And um they have their best pitchers going. They’re in must-win mode. And their their best pitcher was absolutely tremendous tonight. And our pitcher, Colin Ray, was almost as good. I mean, he gave up one run, seven innings, 11 Ks. Uh there there’s not much more you could ask uh from him in this outing. And let’s be honest, there’s not much more you could ask from Colin Ray. the whole season. I mean, this guy, you want to talk about a guy that’s done exactly what he was brought here to do at a cheap price. He’s he’s started when he’s needed to start. He’s come out of the bullpen when he’s needed to come out of the bullpen. The team wins games when he starts for the most part. He’s been really competitive and and uh uh Thursday night was was no exception. Sroa looked good again out of the pen. So, um you know, some positives. Seiya got the only hit of the game. It was a double. I’m glad he was the guy that got it. uh and uh you know it it wasn’t a game that uh we’ll remember too much uh going forward. Give uh give the Reds and Hunter Green a lot of credit. Hopefully Moises Bisteros is okay. Uh he did finish the game. I I I wanted to talk more about just the the last nine games because this is probably a good segue to talk about the last nine games and and the expectations that you know fans should have really you want to look at and I shouldn’t say that not fans should have that that that you know you could have any expectations that you want. Um, but my expectations for this and where I’m going with this is I I I think it’s keep everybody healthy. Make sure that you get that first wildcard spot and try and have Tucker play a few Seiya get hot again. you know, try and have your main guys starting to show signs as we hit that three-game series. That’s pretty much it. Stay as healthy as you can. Make sure you do your job and finish the the wild card series, excuse me, finish the the the in the top wild card spot. And then get guys that, you know, like Tucker, who I said, and other guys playing and feeling good heading into the playoffs. That’s that’s really all your goal. That’s really all you’re trying to do uh um during this stretch. Now, I don’t want to lose eight out of nine, seven out of nine either. But, you know, at the end of the day, I’m a pretty firm believer if the Cubs get this first wild card spot, it’s mission accomplished considering what the goals were heading into September, heading in really to mid August when the Brewers started to pull away uh in this thing. So, you know, it’s it’s a weird time because like usually when you clinch this early, you feel like, whoa. I mean, we had an unbelievable year, but because of Milwaukee, it’s kind of like you’re you’re stuck in the middle a little bit, but you’re stuck in the middle of a postseason team and and that’s all that matters. And and that’s how I would look at it. Now, you know, everybody’s entitled to look at it the way they want to. You know, you could want to win every game and take it super seriously. That’s that’s that’s what you know, you know, fans are allowed to do. But I I’m not like upset after this loss. Now, if they get swept in Cincinnati, it’s that’s a different ball game. But as long as they do enough, as long as they find a way to just get this first wild card thing out of the way, which I mean, it would be crazy if they didn’t. They’re five games up with nine left. I mean, if they go four and five, San Diego has to be perfect. So, uh that should put it uh uh you know, illustrate how difficult it would be for them not to. But for me, I’m just looking for guys to be hitting at the right time. Like if we could just get a couple Seiya homers heading into uh uh the postseason, that’d be great because I do firmly believe if if we don’t see much from Seiya and Bisteros continues to hit, I I said it earlier with Matt, why can’t it be Kyle Tucker uh and and Moises Bisteros uh uh starting in the right field DH combo? You’re playing the hot hand. You’re playing to win a little bit. Uh, I know you don’t want to overdo it, you know, in certain situations, but when it comes to offense, I don’t know. You know, I want it to be sea. He’s earned the right to start in a game like that. But I’d like to see him get hot. He had a double today, was on the ground. Let’s see if in these last nine if he could elevate the baseball pull side. That’s the biggest thing that’s going on with him right now. Can he elevate the baseball pull side? Um, I’m liking where Michael Bush is at. He’s he’s showing more than just signs. hitting some home runs and hit a couple near home run balls on Thursday at Great American. I’m liking what I’m seeing from Pete a little bit as well. So, uh, some good signs. Some good signs. I know that sounds kind of crazy um after a one0 defeat, but where you got one hit, but like I said, you got to give these guys credit, too. They’re human. You know, they were celebrating. They were enjoying it. You know, they had to come back and and they’re facing a Reds team that literally had to win this game to keep their playoff hopes and their season alive. So, I wouldn’t look too much into that. But over the next nine, just, you know, stay healthy, no major injuries, do what you need to do. I’d like to see Boyd finish his his his season with a good start. You know, see if you can get Tucker back for the last series or two. get Seya rolling again and just go into this series feeling like you got a real shot to do something special because what I’m going to talk about next is is what the Cubs have in front of them a and what opportunities they have and how they could take advantage of it and really be remembered uh uh forever if they uh have a deep run. We’re going to talk about that all coming up next. Today’s episode is brought to you by FiveHour Energy. Caffeine just got a flavor upgrade. Five Hour Energy Shots deliver tasty caffeine in 17 bold flavors. Each 2O shot packs the caffeine of a premium 12 ounce cup of coffee plus B vitamins and nutrients with zero sugar and zero crashes. What I love most is how portable they are. Big taste, tiny shot. You could take it anywhere and get that boost when you need it. I always reach for my favorite flavor, peach mango, because it’s refreshing and it gives me that quick lift before a busy day, school, podcasting, family, and more. And throw out the boring, flavorless caffeine. Enough with it. It’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5Hour Energy Shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in store and online at 5ourgy.com or Amazon today to try fivehour energy shop. Today’s episode is brought to you by Prize Pick, the daily fantasy app where making the right call can actually pay off. You and I make decisions every day, but on Prize Picks, being right means cashing in. With football back prize picks is the simplest and fastest way to get in on the action. Just pick more or less on two to six player projections and you can turn your takes into real prizes all in less than 60 seconds when you play prize picks. It’s going to be such a fun way to stay locked in for this football season. It’s quick, easy. It’s going to be your favorite way to follow along. And you could pick Josh Allen more or less passing yards. You could pick Saquon Barkley, more or less, rushing touchdowns, and a whole lot more. Download the Prize Picks app today and use code locked on MLB to get $50 in lineups after you play your first $5 lineup. That’s code locked on MLB for $50 in lineups after your first $5 play. Prize picks. It’s good to be right. We are back here on Locked On Cubs and uh make sure you’re subscribed to Locked on Cubs. That way you don’t miss any of the great Cubs content we’ve got for you. That includes the Cubs postcast with Joe George live after the final out of every game. Joe George, he does a postcast episode. Literally right when the game ends, the 27th out, he is on. He his takes are great. I I I’ve been so happy with the addition of Joe. He balances me and Matt. Great. I don’t know how he does it. It’s It’s perfect every time. You should really check it out. And it’s perfect because you go straight from him right to us. Uh and you get all your lockdown Cubs coverage that you can ask for. And there’s going to be a lot of it coming up because the Chicago Cubs, if you didn’t hear, are headed to the postseason. And uh we can’t wait to cover it for you. um that first day, September 30th, we’ll have probably a pregame. Most likely a pregame depending on the time. If it’s if it’s if the game’s early, then we’ll probably just let the episode be the pregame. I might do something game one midame, uh then a postgame. Uh the rest of the the rest of the the the playoffs will probably just be pre and post and then excuse me, the rest of that wild card series. And then if they go to the division, I’ll probably be doing watch alongs throughout most of those. So, um really exciting stuff. We can’t wait to cover it. Uh we’re so appreciative of uh all all of our listeners. I got a great DM from from Colin. Uh shout out to Colin that was really really sweet. U complimented us. We we love our listeners and we love this chance to cover postseason baseball. And that’s what I want to close the show with uh today. And that is just this and we’re probably going to talk a lot about this, but I just wanted to have a few minutes solo to myself to look into the camera and say this. Getting an opportunity to play in the postseason for the Chicago Cubs is a once in a-lifetime type thing. And I’m not putting this is not putting pressure on any of the players. This is the opposite. Go in there excited because you’re one big base hit away. You’re one big stolen base away. You’re one bases loaded, one out jam, uh uh Caleb Dealbar gets a double play away from being remembered forever. Every big Cubs playoff moment, those guys are heroes to me. And and I’m, you know, you know, I haven’t been around that long, but you know, I remember 03. Like I know how that ended, but I remember Prior’s complete game. I remember Sosa’s game tying homer in game one against the Marlins. I remember the Aramis Ramirez grand slam. Ramirez was huge all 03. Like I remember later on in 07 and 08. I don’t think he had great postseasons if I remember correctly. And I remember just defending him. I’m like 03 like Aramis and 03 was unbelievable. You know I 08 didn’t go well but I still remember Mark D. throws his home run to right field to give us a two- lead against I want to say Derek Low and the Dodgers, right? And then 15, I mean, you you name it, right? Schwarber, Bryant, Rizzo, Castro, um Solair had a big postseason uh and a big moment in St. Louis with a big home run. Um I still even remember I think Austin Jackson uh had a base hit in that game. Like you remember everything about the playoffs, everything. 16 of course Miguel Montero if I owned a restaurant downtown. He walks in anything he wants for free. He got a huge base hit. Cubs don’t win the World Series without that base hit. My point is this. It’s special now. Doesn’t matter if you’re if you’ve had a year like Pete or uh Nico or you’ve had a year, you know, like Willie Castro. Like we if Willie Castro comes off the bench in an extra innings game and gets a game-winning hit, guy’s a legend forever. Like postseason baseball is where legends and memories are made. Don’t look at the other side of it of like, well, what if nobody Look, you know, Kate Horton’s been unbelievable. If he goes out there in game one and he doesn’t pitch, well, so be it. He’ll learn. It’s not like it’s going to be that big of a deal. I mean, it would stink in the moment, but it happens. You got to look at it from the opposite side. You got to look at it from what what can this do for me and get excited about it. Like Ian Hap right now, Ian Hap, Danby Swanson, Nicoer, I think those three guys are probably the best examples. Maybe throw in Tuck or two, but like if Ian Hap hits like four or five home runs in a postseason where the Cubs win like three series, guy’s a legend forever. Like a guy’s been a Cub for a long time. I think he’s a good Cub. I don’t think he’s been a great Cub, but he’s been a good Cub. You do that, you’re a legend Cub. You know what I mean? Danby Swanson, you get hot at the right time, carry this team. Tucker, I don’t care if Kyle Tucker plays uh uh for the Cardinals next year. If this team makes a long run and has a chance to win a World Series and he has, you know, his OPS is 1.2 in the postseason, he’s a Cubs legend to me. Legends are made in October, especially when you put on the Cubs uniform because you just, it just doesn’t happen often in my lifetime. It’s special and I can’t wait for it. A and I really can’t wait to see who and which guy and when is going to uh take this October by storm. Pete city’s yours. We’ve already proven that when you get hot, it’s your city. Go take it back. You know, and that’s just kind of what I wanted to talk about. I know it wasn’t really X’s and O’s and stuff. It was a 10 loss today, but you know, that’s what I’ve been thinking about the last 24 hours is Matt said it beautifully. The opportunity to win a World Series. Well, to do that, you have the opportunity to be really, really special. And um who and how many guys take that opportunity will probably determine how far this team goes. This is Lockdown Cub. Lockdown Cubs, part of the lockdown podcast network. Your team every day. For your second listen, check out the allnew Lockdown MLB game night. It’s phenomenal over there. It’s it’s like it’ll take you back to your childhood, like watching baseball tonight. Every game, every night, all season long. Get local analysis on a national scale. Find MLB Game Night on the Lock MLB channel, on YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast. Playoff Cubs will be back on Sunday.

Sam and Matt discuss the Kyle Tucker injury and if he does miss crucial games, could the Cubs still make a run? Sam then discusses the 1-0 loss to the reds and what a special opportunity the MLB playoffs are for the Cubs.

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