The Chicago Cubs sit just 9 games behind Milwaukee in the NL Central with a solid 68-53 record, but ESPN’s recent analysis of Pete Crow-Armstrong’s August struggles has sent ripples across baseball. While 29 other MLB teams might see opportunity in the Cubs’ offensive downturn, their manager delivered a defiant message that should make every franchise take notice.

That manager is, of course, Craig Counsell, and he refuses to let outside noise dictate his team’s narrative. The seasoned skipper, who knows championship pressure from his Milwaukee days, fired back at critics with trademark intensity. His response carries weight throughout the league — this isn’t a manager showing cracks under pressure, but one doubling down on his team’s capabilities when it matters most.

When pressed about the team’s recent struggles on Marquee Sports Network, Counsell’s message was unmistakably clear. “Baseball is a sport where you can trick yourself into saying things are going bad when they’re not,” Counsell declared with conviction. “This is a good baseball team that’s earned a very good position and future excitement for the last six or seven weeks of the season.” His voice rose as he continued: “That means there are challenges. Man, bring them on! This is tough – the regular season is tough, man, and you’ve got to… I think, let’s go, man! Let’s bring it on!” The message was crystal clear: “I’m not scared of these challenges. We’re not scared of these challenges, and the guys in there aren’t scared of these challenges.”

Those challenges Counsell referenced are real and mounting. The ESPN alarm bells aren’t without merit, and a detailed analysis highlighted Crow-Armstrong’s dramatic August slide — from a sizzling .308/.347/.637 line with 27 home runs through July to just 8-for-52 this month. The rookie phenom may have led NL MVP conversations with 5.7 fWAR, but has no homers, one RBI and only two runs scored as pitchers exploit his aggressive approach. Kyle Tucker (.148 in August), Michael Busch (.151), and Seiya Suzuki (.143 average, and only one homer with only 8 hits) have joined the offensive drought, dropping Chicago’s scoring from 5.3 runs per game to 2.75. Yet Counsell sees opportunity where others see crisis, warning competitors that his Cubs embrace the fight ahead. Among the struggling offensive stars, however, one case stands particularly troublesome. The Tucker situation demands closer examination.

Tucker’s Troubling Decline Exposes Cubs’ Deeper Issues

While Counsell maintains Pete Crow-Armstrong will bounce back from his August slump, Tucker’s freefall tells a different story entirely. But Tucker’s struggles run deeper than August numbers suggest, revealing cracks in Chicago’s foundation that extend far beyond surface statistics. The four-time All-Star has transformed from a first-half terror into a bewildering enigma. His 38-game nightmare showcases a .189 average with an abysmal .560 OPS—numbers that forced the Cubs to bench their $177 million star Monday.

President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer couldn’t hide his concern when addressing Tucker’s mechanical breakdown. “It’s not for a lack of effort from either the coaching side or on Kyle’s side,” Hoyer admitted to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney. “He just hasn’t slugged in quite a while. The balls aren’t in the air. The exit velos aren’t high.” The honesty cuts straight to the problem’s core.

Hoyer’s assessment gets more troubling: “I do think a lot of it is mechanical. When you look at the swing earlier in the year versus now, it’s less connected, and therefore less powerful.” Exit velocity data confirms what the eyes already see—Tucker’s swing has lost its devastating punch. Since July, he’s managed just one home run, leaving Cubs fans wondering where their slugger disappeared.

Despite projecting as a four-win player, Tucker’s collapse symbolizes Chicago’s larger offensive crisis. With playoff dreams already crushed and the division title mathematically impossible, pressure mounts on both Tucker and Counsell to rediscover the magic that made this team dangerous. The Cubs need their star to remember how to be Kyle Tucker—fast.