Kyle Tucker gets Wrigley Field ovation that says everything Cubs fans feel

There's been plenty of frustration when it comes to how Chicago Cubs fans have viewed Kyle Tucker's slump, but the frustration was tied more to how the Cubs were talking about the slump as opposed to frustration with Tucker specifically. It became clear that Tucker was playing through an injury, and instead of saying that, the Cubs talked around the idea while letting Tucker look bad in front of the faithful at Wrigley Field.

Tucker was given days off on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it was finally confirmed that he had been playing through a hairline fracture in his right hand. If anything, news of Tucker playing through the injury provided validation that beyond something physically being wrong with him, there was a mental toll weighing on him. It shouldn't be used as an excuse for Tucker not running out a groundball, but it certainly should bring a level of understanding that Cubs fans weren't afforded to have before.

Tucker returned to the Cubs' starting lineup on Thursday, and in his first plate appearances, he received quite the ovation from the fans in attendance at Wrigley Field.

Cubs fans show their class with huge ovation for Kyle Tucker

Tucker walked in his first plate appearance, so there wasn't an immediate answer to the question of how healthy he is, but it was a great sight to see. If anything, it was even more confirmation that Cubs fans grew frustrated with how the organization handled Tucker's injury as opposed to having an issue with Tucker specifically. In other words, no, Cubs fans booing Tucker earlier this week won't be the reason why he doesn't re-sign with the Cubs this offseason.

What Cubs fans did for Tucker on Thursdays is similar to what Philadelphia Phillies' fans did for Trea Turner in 2023. In the first year of an 11-year deal, Turner was struggling as the calendar turned to August, posting a wRC+ of 77. Instead of adding to his frustration, Phillies fans greeted Turner with a standing ovation as they hoped it would spark a turnaround in his season. The result was Turner posting a 182 wRC+ during his 207 plate appearances after that game, and adding 16 home runs. Perhaps this season will see the sequel to that story, this time involving Tucker and the Cubs.

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