Kyle Tucker extends slump as Cubs continue to fade in NL Central race

The Chicago Cubs' fall from grace has hit outfielder Kyle Tucker the hardest.

On Thursday, Tucker, acquired by the Cubs from the Houston Astros during the offseason, continued his slump in a 2-1 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Chicago subsequently fell eight games behind the surging Milwaukee Brewers (76-44) for first place in the National League Central. That's the largest gap in the majors between first- and second-place division opponents.

Tucker went 0-for-4 against the Blue Jays, including 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. With two men on base in the top of the eighth, Tucker struck out swinging for the inning's second out in a one-run game. The Cubs failed to score in the half-inning.

Since July 1, Tucker has slashed an abysmal .195/.333/.246 with one home run and 10 RBI across 34 games.

The 28-year-old had an excellent start to the season, batting .291/.395/.537 with 17 home runs, 52 RBI and 20 stolen bases as the Cubs quickly climbed to first in the division.

His skid has coincided with Chicago's downward spiral. The Cubs were 50-35 on July 1, leading the division by 2.5 games over the Brewers. Since then, Chicago is a mediocre 18-17 and closer to the third-place Cincinnati Reds (64-58) than Milwaukee in the division standings.

Tucker's play began to deteriorate in June after he suffered a jammed right finger, and manager Craig Counsell gave him a day off last Wednesday, hoping that it would spark a turnaround. It hasn't.

Until the slugger rediscovers his first-half form, the Cubs are unlikely to pull closer to the Brewers. They will instead have to fend off hungry challengers in the NL's wild-card hunt.

Chicago's decline has been rapid. The climb back might not be as swift.