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An injury that once was believed to be a day-to-day situation has suddenly turned into a nightmare scenario for the Chicago Cubs and Kyle Tucker. Before the Cubs' victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, clinching the team's spot in the postseason, Craig Counsell revealed to reporters that Tucker was no longer with the team.
With no progress being made in the calf injury that has kept him sidelined for the last two weeks, Tucker, along with a member of the Cubs' training staff, is currently in Florida, consulting with his physical therapy team.
Kyle Tucker is traveling to Tampa Bay this morning to receive additional treatment on his calf.
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) September 17, 2025
"Unfortunately, we've plateaued and we weren't making progress." - Craig Counsell pic.twitter.com/1cFc8T3xpi
Cubs are playoff-bound but Kyle Tucker’s status is suddenly in doubt
Counsell remains optimistic that the All-Star right fielder will be able to return before the end of the regular season, but it's hard to find any evidence that suggests that will happen. There has been no progress made since Tucker suffered the calf strain, and in fact, it has worsened.
It's very rare for a player to opt for a second opinion on an injury and then return within the same week. This begs the larger question of why the Cubs didn't place Tucker on the IL immediately after he suffered the injury. It would have bought them more time to diagnose the injury and determine a recovery plan. It seems, with 10 games remaining before the postseason, the Cubs are just now trying to figure out what the recovery plan should be.
It's a situation that is eerily similar to how Tucker's tenure with the Houston Astros ended. Reporting after the fact last season revealed that Tucker suffered a shin fracture during the second half of the 2024 campaign with the Astros, an injury the team initially referred to as a contusion. Now, Tucker did return in time for the Astros' playoff run, but time is running out this season with the Cubs.
Beyond the impact the injury may have on the Cubs' playoff run, it will almost certainly be a large influence on his free agency. This is now the second consecutive season in which he has been impacted by a significant injury during the closing months of the regular season. This could give renewed hope for the Cubs and their efforts to keep him beyond this season, assuming Tucker is willing to take a short-term, High AAV deal to replenish his stock.