Chicago Cubs: Return of Kyle Tucker is now an ‘if’ and not a ‘when’

The Chicago Cubs have clinched a spot in the playoffs and, despite some poor play recently, seem pretty much set to clinch the top NL Wild Card seed, guaranteeing them home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

With the postseason in sight, focus obviously turns to fielding a winning team that will produce a deep run in the playoffs and, hopefully, a shot at a World Series appearance.

There are some major questions and concerns, though.

There are doubts about the bullpen and the state of the starting rotation. Pete Crow-Armstrong’s extended slump at the plate is also extremely troubling.

But, arguably, the biggest concern the Cubs face as the regular comes to an end is Kyle Tucker and whether he’ll be healthy and ready for the playoffs.

Kyle Tucker goes down and stays down

The four-time All-Star right fielder has been out of commission since September 2 with a strained left calf. The Cubs initially thought that it would be a relatively simple injury to walk through and decided to hold off on an IL stint. However, as time passed and Tucker’s injury didn’t seem to be responding, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and put their multi-tool star on the 10-day IL.

Those ten days came and went, though, without any improvement to Tucker’s condition. It’s now almost a week past the point where he was eligible to return, but he remains inactive, opting to return to Tampa to work with his personal physical therapy team. He’s due to return to Chicago this Tuesday to confer with Cubs staff on his progress or lack thereof. According to reports, he hasn’t begun running yet.

Counsell offers somewhat of an update

At the moment, Cubs manager Craig Counsell seems just as befuddled and low-key frustrated as the fans (and likely Tucker, himself).

“He’s hitting, yes,” Counsell told reporters prior to the Cubs’ 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ballpark on Sunday. “We’ve got to figure out when, and if, he’s going to be available. We’ve got six games left.”

The clock is most definitely ticking on Tucker and the Cubs with now just over a week left before the Wild Card series begins. It only stands to reason that the team would want Tucker back before the playoffs for at least a couple games to get back his rhythm at the plate.

Can Tucker come back for Chicago Cubs playoff run?

Having Tucker back in time for some regular season tune-up at bats has been a topic of conversation as the right fielder’s recovery has dragged on. Some feel that, with his relaxed approach to hitting, Tucker won’t be in dire need of live at bats before the playoffs. Others feel that coming back cold, playing in high-stakes playoff games, could be a recipe for failure.

“Nobody knows the right answer to that question,” Counsell said, regarding an absolute need for tune-up at bats before the postseason. “We have history on both sides of it. We have examples on both sides of it…

“The beautiful part about it, for him, is I really don’t think it’s going to help him. I don’t think he’s wired that way…He had a tremendous September last year coming off a similar [extended injury] situation.”

On Tuesday, everyone will be one step closer to knowing what’s what when it comes to Tucker and his readiness to play. As of right now, though, things don’t look good.

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