Cubs Manager Craig Counsell Reveals When Kyle Tucker Should Return To Lineup

The Chicago Cubs are less than a week from getting the postseason started, and for a team that has not played well here over the last week, they are going to need all hands on deck to get this thing turned around.

When it comes to guys that have been missing, that conversation of course starts with Kyle Tucker. The superstar outfielder has missed most of September with a mysterious calf issue that has proven trickier than initially suspected.

After a trip to Florida to rehab it with specialists and now finally running again, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told media on Wednesday that the hope and plan is for Tucker to be activated on Friday ahead of their final series of the season against the St. Louis Cardinals.

"I think we’re trending towards that," Counsell said via Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-TImes before Wednesday's second against the New York Mets.

Tucker Rejoining Cubs Lineup Prior to Playoffs Would Be Massive

Kyle Tucker of Chicago Cubs hits ball with bat. — Aug 27, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Tucker (30) hits a single during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

Simply put, if Tucker does not get back into Chicago's lineup and they had to go into the postseason without him, the chances are high that things would end briefly once they got there. Arguably the most important player on the team, even though Tucker has had a couple slumps this year, he's had a brilliant season overall.

Getting him warmed back up with one last series before the lights get extremely bright quickly would be huge. It's not to say Tucker can't handle coming back into the lineup without reps, he's proven it in the past with the Houston Astros as recently as last year.

Following missing a huge chunk of the year with a shin issue, the 28-year-old returned in September to slash .365/.453/.587 with four home runs and nine RBI over just 18 games. Given the fact that the minor league season was already over, he did all this without a rehab assignment of any kind as will be the case here.

This Moment is Why Cubs Traded For Tucker

Kyle Tucker of Chicago Cubs in road grey uniform — Aug 31, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Chicago Cubs right fielder Kyle Tucker (30) following the loss to the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

To state the obvious, Tucker may or may not be back with Chicago next year as he gets set to hit free agency. How serious of an offer the Cubs are going to make to keep him around remains to be seen, but there's no question president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer made the move to trade for him with October in mind.

Having Tucker not be able to go in the moment Chicago acquired him for would be a devastating development, but it seems like both he and the team have done everything possible to ensure that this is not the case.

If Tucker really does return to the Cubs this weekend, he will do so to an absolutely raucous round of applause from the Wrigley Field faithful who are desperate to see this team make an exciting playoff run once again.

The slugger is a key part of everything Chicago has been able to do this year, and not having Tucker out there in the biggest moment simply would not feel right. Thankfully for all, it seems the Cubs don't have to worry about that.

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