Mike Tuckman (33-Chicago Cubs), who played for the Hanwha Eagles in the KBO last year but left Korea without a new contract, is making his presence felt in the major leagues. This time, he was hailed as a “baseball god” by his teammates for his spectacular home runs and home runs.
Tuckman started in center field against the Baltimore Orioles on April 19 and went 1-for-3 with a home run, one RBI, one walk, and one stolen base. His first hit was a leadoff home run in the first inning, making it even more impressive that it came after a rain delay.
In the top of the first, Baltimore loaded the bases with one out when Anthony Santander hit a ball up the middle. It looked like it would be a sacrifice fly, but Cubs center fielder Tuckman caught the ball and made a quick throw home. The throw was accurate to first baseman Miguel Amaya, who made a perfect tag on third baseman Austin Hays. Tuckman’s home run ended the inning without a run. Pitcher Jameson Tyone raised his arms in celebration.
Tuckman’s next at-bat in the bottom of the inning brought the home crowd to its feet. Stepping up to bat with the aftermath of the hailstorm still fresh in his mind, Tuckman saw a first-pitch pitch from Baltimore starter Dean Creamer. He drove the four-seam fastball over the left field fence. It was his first home run of the season. It was his first major league home run in 725 days (1 year, 11 months, 25 days) since June 24, 2021, against the Los Angeles Angels while with the San Francisco Giants.
In the fifth inning, he walked and stole second base. The Cubs lost the game 3-6, but Tuckman’s offensive performance was enough to garner praise. According to MLB.com, Cubs pitcher Tyjon said of Tuckman after the game, “He was like a baseball god. He made an inning-ending defense and then hit a home run in the very next inning to give us the lead. He’s done a tremendous job since joining our team.”
Cubs manager David Ross said, “Tuckman has shown quality at-bats since the exhibition game, controlling the strike zone well. He’s also a good runner.” “He’s got a lot of energy and I asked him what he eats for breakfast. He’s doing really good things for our team. He’s a good baseball player, and I’m really enjoying watching him.”
Tuckman, who was called up to the big leagues on March 20 to fill in for Cody Bellinger with a left knee injury, is batting .408 (22-for-78) with one home run, 10 RBI, 17 doubles, 20 walks, three stolen bases, a .359 on-base percentage and a .767 OPS in 27 games. Bellinger has established himself as the leadoff hitter, batting first in seven of his last eight games, going 9-for-28 with one home run, four RBIs, six walks and a .429 OPS.
Bellinger returned from injury on April 16, but the Cubs sent first base prospect Matt Murvis to Triple-A, leaving Tuckman behind. Bellinger played all 37 games in center field before his injury, but has started the last three games at first base. Tuckman has performed above expectations in center field and hasn’t lost his spot since Bellinger’s return.
Tuckman played in all 144 games for Hanwha in the KBO last year, batting .289 (166-for-575) with 12 home runs, 43 RBI, 64 walks, 104 strikeouts, 19 stolen bases, a .366 on-base percentage, .430 slugging percentage, and a .796 OPS. He hit for average and played top-notch center field defense and baserunning, but lacked the long ball needed for a foreign hitter. He was also inconsistent in scoring position, going 2-for-1 with runners in scoring position. With the team’s lineup, Hanwha needed a big bat.먹튀검증
After being placed on the disabled list and not re-signing with Hanwha, Tuckman had to leave Korea after just one year. It was a bummer, but he got his call. He signed a minor league deal with his hometown Cubs and started the season in Triple-A, but Bellinger’s injury gave him a chance to shine. Two years later, he’s back in the majors, fully established and writing his own story.