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CHICAGO — Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker is likely to get multiple days off after going 0-for-4 in Game 1 of a doubleheader Monday, manager Craig Counsell announced after his team’s 7-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Tucker, 28, has struggled mightily this month, hitting .160 with zero extra-base hits. He was booed after each of his final three at-bats in Game 1, including two weak groundouts and a popup to left field. He also grounded out in his first at-bat.

“The fans are frustrated, and Kyle is frustrated,” Counsell said after the game. “When you make outs, it doesn’t look good. He’s trying. It’s just not clicking. We’re going to have to take a step back here, just give him some days off to reset him, hopefully.”

Players aren’t available to speak between doubleheaders, so Tucker couldn’t comment on the decision. He hasn’t homered since July 19 and has just four extra-base hits since July 1.

“He’s frustrated, and we’re not coming up with solutions for him and he’s not coming up with solutions,” Counsell said. “Sometimes, you have to take some steps back to go forward again.”

Overall, Tucker is hitting .261 with an .821 OPS, but his ground ball rate has skyrocketed in August. It’s 53.7%, 17th highest among qualified hitters, according to ESPN Research. Entering the month, he ranked ninth lowest in ground ball rate.

“It’s not for lack of effort on the coaching side or Kyle’s side,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said before the game. “He hasn’t slugged in quite a while. The ball is not in the air. The exit velos aren’t high. A lot of it is mechanical. If you look at his swing early in the year, as opposed to now, it’s less connected, therefore less powerful.”

Tucker jammed his right ring finger in early June, an injury that could have impacted the grip on his swing and subsequently his mechanics, but he insists that’s not an issue. The eight-year veteran will be a free agent after this season.

“He’s too good a player for it not to click,” Hoyer said. “He’s going to get hot again. Hopefully, it’s a torrid-hot streak like it was in April.”

That streak won’t begin at least for a few games as Tucker will continue to work behind the scenes to find solutions while getting a mental reset. Meanwhile, Cubs starter Cade Horton left Game 1 in the third inning because of a blister issue, but he said he thinks he’ll make his next start.

“It’s nothing crazy,” Horton said.

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Utah’s Dampier now probable to face Colorado

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Utah's Dampier now probable to face Colorado

Utah quarterback Devon Dampier has been upgraded to probable for the Utes’ game against Colorado, according to the updated Big 12 availability report released Friday night.

The junior quarterback has dealt with a lower leg injury this season, and coach Kyle Whittingham said Dampier “got beat up in this game pretty good” after the Utes’ 24-21 loss to rival BYU last weekend.

Dampier was initially listed as questionable Wednesday but progressed throughout the week and took reps in practice, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

The 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior, a transfer out of New Mexico, has started every game despite the injury and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in total offense with 1,375 passing yards, 442 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns.

True freshman backup Byrd Ficklin played four snaps against BYU and would be in line to start if Dampier is unavailable Saturday against the Buffaloes (10:15 p.m. ET, ESPN).

Utah wide receiver Tobias Merriweather and defensive tackle Dallas Vakalahi were downgraded from doubtful to out against Colorado. Merriweather ranks second among Utes wideouts with 130 receiving yards on eight receptions this season.

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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1

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2025 World Series: Live updates and analysis from Dodgers-Blue Jays Game 1

The defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers opened the 2025 MLB season in Japan on March 18.

Now, 220 days later, they meet the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 of the Fall Classic.

Will the Dodgers be the first team to repeat as champs since the New York Yankees at the turn of the century? Or will the underdog Blue Jays win their first title since 1993?

It all starts Friday night. We’ll have the action covered right here, from pregame lineups to live analysis during the game to takeaways after the final pitch.

Key links: Mega-preview, predictions | Schedule

Live updates

Gamecast: Follow the action pitch-by-pitch here

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Jays’ Bichette to start at 2B, bat cleanup in G1

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Jays' Bichette to start at 2B, bat cleanup in G1

TORONTO — Bo Bichette, who has not played since spraining his left knee in early September, was added to the Toronto Blue Jays‘ roster for the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Bichette, a two-time All-Star at shortstop, will play second base for the first time in his major league career and bat cleanup in Game 1 on Friday night in Toronto, according to the lineup released by the Jays.

“I’ve been able to get a lot of good work in, but honestly, I’m leaning on a whole life’s work of swings and at-bats that have all been dedicated to being ready for this moment,” Bichette said. “I feel ready, and I’m ready to get out there. I’m super excited.”

The Blue Jays also included first baseman Ty France on their roster for the first time this postseason. Outfielder Joey Loperfido and right-handed reliever Yariel Rodriguez, who were on the American League Championship Series roster, were not included.

Bichette has not played in a game since injuring the knee in a collision with Yankees catcher Austin Wells on Sept. 6. Bichette attempted to return in time for the AL Championship Series but could not run the bases without significant pain the day before the Blue Jays had to submit their roster.

The infielder worked out at second base and faced live pitching Wednesday and Thursday, after which he said the knee was “feeling good enough.” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Bichette could play second base, shortstop or even serve as the team’s designated hitter during the series, a move that would likely push George Springer into right field.

“I’ve seen him do it, albeit minor leagues a few years ago — or a number of years ago,” Schneider, who previously worked in the organization’s minor league system, said of Bichette playing second base. “But as long as he was moving around fine and physically felt OK, you felt good about putting him out there.”

Set to be a free agent this winter, Bichette had a rebound season after posting a .598 OPS in 81 games in an injury-plagued 2024 campaign. The homegrown star, 27, finished second in the majors with a .311 batting average and hit 18 home runs with 94 RBIs and an .840 OPS.

Without him, the Blue Jays have played Andres Gimenez, their regular second baseman, at shortstop in the postseason with Isiah Kiner-Falefa getting most of the starts at second base.

Los Angeles added right-handers Edgardo Henriquez and Will Klein while dropping lefty Alex Vesia and righty Ben Casparius. The Dodgers said Thursday that Vesia was not with the team in Toronto because of a family matter. The Dodgers opted to leave Vesia off the roster entirely rather than putting him on Major League Baseball’s family medical emergency list, which would have allowed him to return to the roster within three to seven days.

“We just didn’t want to have any potential for any kind of pressure,” Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “This is so much bigger than baseball. For us, it was doing whatever small part we could to just a hundred percent be supportive.”

Former closer Tanner Scott was not added. The left-hander was dropped from the National League Division Series roster following surgery Oct. 8 to remove an abscess from an infection on his lower body.

Clayton Kershaw, who was left off the Dodgers’ wild-card series roster and did not pitch in the NLCS, is on the World Series roster. Kershaw has said he plans to retire after this season.

Information from ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez and the Associated Press was used in this report.

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