Tucker Ran, Postseason Availability Still Unclear

The Cubs have clinched a postseason spot, but All-Star right fielder Kyle Tucker has been sidelined since Sept. 2 with a left calf strain and remains day-to-day. Tucker traveled to Tampa to work with longtime physical therapists after his recovery plateaued, then returned to Chicago after running Monday in Florida and again at Wrigley and progressing to touching the bases. Club officials, including president Jed Hoyer and manager Craig Counsell, called his progress encouraging but cautioned that activation this week is murky and would likely be in a limited role. Multiple reports noted the Tampa trip was approved to get a different perspective on his rehab, highlighting uneven progress. Tucker (.270, 22 HR, .854 OPS, 147 OPS+) is a key offensive piece, and with only a few regular-season games left the Cubs are racing the clock to see if he can play late games and be ready for October.