Kyle Tucker booed loudly in first return to Wrigley Field since joining Dodgers
Fans at Wrigley Field were not excited to see Kyle Tucker on Monday night.
Chicago Cubs fans hit their former outfielder with a long, loud chorus of boos when he stepped up to the plate for the first time. It marked Tucker's first time back at Wrigley Field since he joined the Los Angeles Dodgers this past offseason.
"Let's see what kind of hand Kyle Tucker gets here coming back to Wrigley Field"
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) August 4, 2026
"BOOOOOOOOOOO" pic.twitter.com/4k551xXVkl
Fans at Wrigley Field got another moment in the sixth inning, too. After it looked like Tucker hit a sure double, Seiya Suzuki managed to throw him out at second. Suzuki largely was the Cubs' designated hitter last season while Tucker played in right field.
Naturally, fans loved the moment.
from way back at the warning track. pic.twitter.com/QwChxDg22f
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 4, 2026
"I tried my hardest last year," Tucker said after the game, via The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. "I tried playing through a hand fracture and calf thing, just trying to get back to the playoffs for them and trying to do what I could to help out the team last year with them."
The Dodgers reached a four-year, $240 million deal to sign Tucker this past offseason. He marked just the latest high-profile signing the reigning two-time World Series champions have made in recent years. They traded for star pitcher Tarik Skubal in recent days, too. He's set to make his debut at Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.
Tucker spent only a single season with the Cubs. The franchise struck a deal to land him ahead of the 2025 campaign, the final one of his last contract. He ended up holding a .266 batting average with 22 home runs and 73 RBI in Chicago while picking up his fourth straight All-Star nod and playing through several injuries. He helped the Cubs reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020, though they fell in the NLDS.
But clearly, with Tucker departing the city after just a single season, fans weren't too happy to see him return. Landing with the Dodgers, who keep acquiring big names and earning criticism for it from around the league, certainly didn't help, either.
Tucker holds a .240 batting average with 51 RBI and 9 home runs this season. He had two hits and scored once in three at-bats on Monday.
But despite a solid day from Tucker, and a quick 3-0 lead for the Dodgers, the Cubs rallied to pick up a 10-5 win. Suzuki, Carson Kelly and Kevin Alcantara each hit two-run home runs in the win, and Michael Busch had three RBI for the Cubs. That moved the Cubs to 64-49 on the season, and brought them within 5.5 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central race.
If Monday night was any indication, the boos aren't going to go away for Tucker for the duration of this three-game series. We'll see how Tuesday goes with Skubal on the mound.
