Kyle Tucker is helping his teammates channel wisdom from a former Cubs manager

This might be a one-year marriage between three-time All-Star Kyle Tucker and the Chicago Cubs. But, already, it's clear both sides are enjoying it while it lasts, whether it be four more months or the rest of his career.

Tucker ranks second on the team in terms of WAR, according to Baseball Reference, trailing only MVP candidate Pete Crow-Armstrong, who is in the midst of a monster breakout campaign. For his part, Tucker carries a team-leading .899 OPS, with 43 walks to just 35 strikeouts in 288 plate appearances.

His presence has transformed a Cubs' lineup that, for years, has lacked a true superstar, opening the door for Seiya Suzuki's big first half and Crow-Armstrong's emergence into the spotlight. So what does he credit the success to? At least, in part, a pearl of wisdom from one of his former managers, Dusty Baker, who, of course, managed in Chicago decades ago, from 2003 to 2006.

‘If you’re going to show up, you might as well win.’

Baker often told his players, "If you're going to show up, you might as well win." And Tucker said that mentality embodies what this 2025 Cubs team has been all about, as it reached 40 wins nearly a month sooner than last year - and quicker than ever, apart from the World Series-winning 2016 club.

Chicago has avoided the early-season pitfalls that put them behind the 8-ball in each of the last two seasons, surging to the second-best record in the National League, not to mention the best run differential in all of Major League Baseball. They've done it behind a potent offensive attack and a surprisingly strong bullpen that, after some initial stumbles, has found its footing over the last month-and-a-half.

If the Cubs are going to sustain this first-half success deep into the summer and, hopefully, October, Tucker will be a big reason why. The 28-year-old has shown his tremendous ability to impact the lineup and give Craig Counsell a game-changing at-bat every time he steps to the plate. A full season of this type of production would be a win-win for just about everybody and make this team a hot ticket at the corner of Clark and Addison all summer long.