Kyle Tucker's benching gives Owen Caissie a huge opportunity this week

It's all eyes on Chicago Cubs rookie Owen Caissie, who's likely to see increased playing time with Kyle Tucker effectively getting benched.

Tucker, who has one home run since the beginning of July, is in the middle of a prolonged slump that has tanked his production. The 28-year-old has an ugly slash line of .181/.323/.238 over his last 30 games, with 21 strikeouts and seven RBI in that time. The only thing he's been able to do is draw plenty of walks, but the frustration reached a boiling point in Monday's contest with Milwaukee. Tucker grounded out three times in the game, drawing boos from the crowd at Wrigley Field.

Before the game, Cubs president Jed Hoyer theorized that Tucker's poor performance may be stemming from the finger injury he sustained June 1, and the subsequent adjustments he was forced to make. If the injury was so bad that it has made such a negative impact, it makes me wonder if Tucker should have had an injured list stint to get his finger fully healthy instead of trying to play through it.

It's too late now, because Tucker's poor performance has already contributed to the team's prolonged offensive slump, and partially to the team being nine games behind the Brewers in the NL Central. Like Manager Craig Counsell said, everyone is frustrated, but it seems like this could have been avoided.

Owen Caissie provides an immediate spark in the Cubs' latest win

In any case, Caissie will get starts in right field this week while Tucker figures things out. The Cubs were unwilling to part with Caissie at the 2025 trade deadline, likely because they view him as Tucker's eventual replacement. Tucker is expected to sign a mega deal when he reaches free agency this offseason. Even if that number comes down to the $300 million range, it would be the largest contract the Cubs have offered by far, and it's hard to imagine them pulling the trigger given how cheap the team has operated recently.

We quickly saw why Chicago is so high on their slugging outfield prospect in the opener of Tuesday's twin bill, when he popped an opposite-field shot for his first big-league home run as part of a 2-for-4, three-RBI afternoon in a 6-4 Cubs' victory.

In an ideal world, Tucker is playing well and in the lineup. But, in the meantime, it's good that Caissie is getting major league exposure. The 23-year-old has the potential to be a solid big league slugger. He has a great left-handed power stroke that has yielded 81 home runs and 118 doubles over 499 minor league games. My expectations aren't crazy high since Caissie only has a handful of MLB at-bats to his name, but you have to love what you saw from him in a big game Tuesday at Wrigley Field.