Chicago’s golden boy is now a $400 million question mark limping off to Florida for help. Kyle Tucker was supposed to bring a World Series to Wrigley Field, but instead, he’s brought headaches and empty seats where hope used to be. The Cubs bet everything on one man, and that man just broke down when October came calling. And then, Wednesday brought even worse news.
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Tucker started packing his bags in Chicago to abscond to Tampa, deserting his team with just 13 days left to the playoffs. It has been 15 days since the last time Tucker swung a bat. And now the Cubs are left high and dry without their best hitter, who was batting .270 and .854 OPS during the 2025 season before his body gave up at crunch time.
Manager Craig Counsell painted a grim picture of Tucker’s condition, revealing the injury has shown zero improvement since the slugger last played on September 2.
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“Kyle Tucker is traveling to Tampa this morning…to receive additional treatment on his calf. We’re aligned with Kyle,” Counsell stated. “This is the best way for him to make some improvements. Unfortunately, we plateaued, and we weren’t making progress. That’s frustrating for Kyle. That’s the concern about getting him back this soon.” The timing couldn’t be worse, with the Cubs’ wild-card series potentially starting September 30.
Yet Counsell is hopeful that Tucker will be back at the homestand in time, just like he was on the ground last year, even with a leg injury. But here’s where the ugliness begins…
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Kyle Tucker is traveling to Tampa Bay this morning to receive additional treatment on his calf.
“Unfortunately, we’ve plateaued and we weren’t making progress.” – Craig Counsell pic.twitter.com/1cFc8T3xpi
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 17, 2025
ESPN valued Tucker at $400 million on the open market, but that was before his unsuspecting dashing calf started ticking away like a bomb. The Cubs gambled big-time, trading away any chance at future relevance for one shot at glory. But now, they are in a difficult situation.
Should they pay a huge amount to someone who may not play, or risk losing their chance at a great season and learn a lesson about taking too many risks?
Tucker remains sidelined with each passing day. The Cubs face an impossible choice: Nearly half a billion dollars for a player whose body is giving bad signs already, or their franchise player walks after one really bad year filled with injuries.
Meanwhile, the financial reality of Kyle Tucker’s situation has ignited a firestorm among Chicago Cubs faithful who invested their hearts and wallets into what they believed would be their championship moment.
Cubs star Kyle Tucker faces backlash
Social media platforms exploded with brutal assessments that reflect deeper concerns about the organization’s decision-making and Tucker’s commitment to the team that traded away prospects for his services.
Chicago fans unleashed their frustration through savage reactions that captured years of playoff heartbreak and unfulfilled promises. “Contract value is gonna go down. This guy has been a flop since the All-Star break,” declared one, a harsh assessment backed by Tucker’s dramatic decline from a .320 first-half average to just .240 after the break.
Another fan wrote, “This man is definitely not resigning,” highlighting concerns rooted in the fact that Tucker has missed many games since injury, raising serious questions about his commitment to a franchise that gave up three top prospects to acquire him.
via Imago
Credit: Imago
The criticism intensified as supporters questioned Tucker’s dedication during the team’s most crucial stretch. “Price tag dropping by the day,” read another reaction, a sentiment that reflects MLB contract history, where injury-prone superstars like Giancarlo Stanton saw their market value drop.
One user commented bluntly, “He quit on the team, we don’t need him,” expressing frustration that carries weight considering Tucker chose to leave for Florida rehabilitation with just 13 days remaining before playoff positioning could be determined.
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The growing doubts about his durability became too big to ignore as fans started connecting his ongoing struggles to injury issues beyond him. “I think Kyle can downgrade that speculated $400 million contract,” was yet another comment with good reason, as Buxton and Cody Bellinger lost contract value with similar injury histories, making an almost half-billion-dollar contract for a man who’s missed 35-plus games two seasons in a row increasingly far-fetched.
Do you think this gamble was worth it all?